A new sponsored link for Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 3 movie which opens Friday, June 18th, is appearing at the bottom of your FarmVille loading screen.
Upon clicking on the sponsored link, you can watch the Toy Story 3 trailer and answer a question, "What was your favorite toy as a kid?" and then be rewarded with 2 free farm cash!
Simple enough, and worth the free farm cash.
Please note, there is NO direct link to provide. The advertisement for this offer appears underneath your FarmVille Farm home page once you access FarmVille on FaceBook.
Will you participate in this sponsored link? If so, did the free farm cash work for you? Who is going to see Toy Story 3?
Monday, February 13, 2012
Happy Aquarium: Flounder and Sebastian, is that you?
Happy Aquarium Rounder the BFF
Say hello to Rounder the BFF and Zeb the Crab. These two new Limited Edition critters look like they took a detour from an audition for a Disney sequel of "The Little Mermaid" into the Happy Aquarium store. I'm betting they're here to team-up with the redhead mermaid Muriel, who made her debut in early May.
Happy Aquarium Zeb the Crab
Rounder costs 58 Pearls or 48 Facebook Credits (which is exactly $4.80 USD). Zeb is 47 Pearls or 39 FB Credits ($3.90 USD). It takes Rounder 32 hours to reach adulthood, and you can buy male or female versions of it, so if you buy two, they can get some piscine love on and make babies. Zeb also comes with your choice of gender, but like all the other crustaceans in the game, he's not a breeder.
Say hello to Rounder the BFF and Zeb the Crab. These two new Limited Edition critters look like they took a detour from an audition for a Disney sequel of "The Little Mermaid" into the Happy Aquarium store. I'm betting they're here to team-up with the redhead mermaid Muriel, who made her debut in early May.
Happy Aquarium Zeb the Crab
Rounder costs 58 Pearls or 48 Facebook Credits (which is exactly $4.80 USD). Zeb is 47 Pearls or 39 FB Credits ($3.90 USD). It takes Rounder 32 hours to reach adulthood, and you can buy male or female versions of it, so if you buy two, they can get some piscine love on and make babies. Zeb also comes with your choice of gender, but like all the other crustaceans in the game, he's not a breeder.
Restaurant City: Gourmet King offers free premium World Cup flags
World Cup flags are now available for free in Restaurant City via the generosity of the Gourmet King. He's the guy in the purple suit and white wig that randomly appears in the game. You can usually spot him strolling the sidewalks outside your restaurant or picnicking by your vegetable garden. Clicking on him will give you the choice for one of three freebies to share with your friends on your Facebook Wall.
Restaurant City World Cup flags
Right now, fifteen premium priced flags are offered in the game. Countries represented are USA, Ivory Coast, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, France, and England (which, I should note, is of the St. George's Cross and NOT the Union Jack). These flags normally cost 4 Playfish Cash (where the lowest premium cash package is $5 USD for 25 PFC). You can find all of the flags at the in-game store under "Wall Decorations".
Restaurant City World Cup flags
Right now, fifteen premium priced flags are offered in the game. Countries represented are USA, Ivory Coast, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, France, and England (which, I should note, is of the St. George's Cross and NOT the Union Jack). These flags normally cost 4 Playfish Cash (where the lowest premium cash package is $5 USD for 25 PFC). You can find all of the flags at the in-game store under "Wall Decorations".
Gears of War creator admits FarmVille 'did something right'
The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles is wrap, and one of the games conspicuously absent from the three-day event was one of the largest in the world -- FarmVille. Even at the big-budget press conferences for Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, there was ne'er a peep about the farming game, and it's not clear whether video game companies don't see Facebook games as competition or they just don't know what to make of the simple farming simulation with over 60 million monthly players.
We found at least one person who was willing to acknowledge FarmVille, however. Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski, who, ironically, heads up one of the bloodiest shooters currently on the market. We asked him if he has any plans to take the best-selling game franchise to any other platforms, including Facebook, and while he says that's uncertain, he gives props to the new social gaming segment that has exploded in the past year.
"Gears of FarmVille?" he jokes after we pose the question. "You know it's fun to hate on FarmVille, but they obviously did something right. I think the rest of the industry is looking at this as far as their game design -- reciprocity and how to have everybody else publicize your game, whether they want to or not. Skip! Skip! (mimics skipping friends' FarmVille requests on Facebook).
Our [game] engine is up running on iPhone and iPad... but we'll see as far as our actual games, and what happens in the future. It's hard to ignore those numbers, and it's hard to ignore the fractured market, which it is right now. A few years ago it was like 'Oh yeah, there's Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC.' Now we have PC, MMOs, browser-based games, Facebook-based games, iPad games, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox and then Kinect, PlayStation Move, PlayStation 3 and it's like there's 4 million different categories, which quite frankly terrifies me, and I think the industry is a little bit nervous about it. "
On Gears of War, women and the new gun-toting, alien-killing ladies in the game
"It's weird with Gears, man -- and I don't know if this is just anecdotal evidence with Twitter and the Internet -- but I swear Gears has a bigger female audience than a lot of shooters. I'm not sure if it's the fact that the story tries to have elements that are a little bit deeper or resonate more with personal family issues and things like that. Maybe it's the pacing of the game, taking cover and then pop up at your leisure, maybe it's the co-op. I don't know what it is, but by adding a female Gears it's one of those things that I've had so many girls say, "Oh my god, thank you so much for adding them", and more importantly thank you for adding them and making them attractive but not making them look like strippers or booth babes or girls on the cover of Low Rider magazine. It's not that there's anything wrong with that kind of thing, but that's not us. Right? You know, we have our violence and we have our tongue-in-cheek over the top moments, but we didn't want to be the game that has the "boob physics" We didn't want to have girls running into combat wearing thongs, because that's just not us... we want to be mature with how we take females seriously in the game."
On using the Xbox 360 Kinect Hardware to play Gears
Yeah, we're getting dev kits and we're going to play with it a little bit. I can assume everybody that it's definitely not going to be in Gears 3. It's just not appropriate. I don't want it to be like something where it's like, "Oh, now you chainsaw by going like that [mimics chainsawing something]. But I'm intrigued by the technology. I think the first generation is always like, "Wow, look at me, it's a Dance Dance Party thing,' and that's cute and that's fine, and there's a market for that. If you look at the Wii games that resonate the most, they're kind of a hybrid. Mario Galaxy where you play, then waggle here and there. They pace it out well and it's kind of a mix -- that's the kind of game that I want to see. I think a Heavy Rain type game on that would be amazing. Get some of the performance capture that they're using where you can see that it's an actor, get great writing, get great motion controls, voice controls and you can have a whole genre there that cracks wide open.
We found at least one person who was willing to acknowledge FarmVille, however. Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski, who, ironically, heads up one of the bloodiest shooters currently on the market. We asked him if he has any plans to take the best-selling game franchise to any other platforms, including Facebook, and while he says that's uncertain, he gives props to the new social gaming segment that has exploded in the past year.
"Gears of FarmVille?" he jokes after we pose the question. "You know it's fun to hate on FarmVille, but they obviously did something right. I think the rest of the industry is looking at this as far as their game design -- reciprocity and how to have everybody else publicize your game, whether they want to or not. Skip! Skip! (mimics skipping friends' FarmVille requests on Facebook).
Our [game] engine is up running on iPhone and iPad... but we'll see as far as our actual games, and what happens in the future. It's hard to ignore those numbers, and it's hard to ignore the fractured market, which it is right now. A few years ago it was like 'Oh yeah, there's Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC.' Now we have PC, MMOs, browser-based games, Facebook-based games, iPad games, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox and then Kinect, PlayStation Move, PlayStation 3 and it's like there's 4 million different categories, which quite frankly terrifies me, and I think the industry is a little bit nervous about it. "
On Gears of War, women and the new gun-toting, alien-killing ladies in the game
"It's weird with Gears, man -- and I don't know if this is just anecdotal evidence with Twitter and the Internet -- but I swear Gears has a bigger female audience than a lot of shooters. I'm not sure if it's the fact that the story tries to have elements that are a little bit deeper or resonate more with personal family issues and things like that. Maybe it's the pacing of the game, taking cover and then pop up at your leisure, maybe it's the co-op. I don't know what it is, but by adding a female Gears it's one of those things that I've had so many girls say, "Oh my god, thank you so much for adding them", and more importantly thank you for adding them and making them attractive but not making them look like strippers or booth babes or girls on the cover of Low Rider magazine. It's not that there's anything wrong with that kind of thing, but that's not us. Right? You know, we have our violence and we have our tongue-in-cheek over the top moments, but we didn't want to be the game that has the "boob physics" We didn't want to have girls running into combat wearing thongs, because that's just not us... we want to be mature with how we take females seriously in the game."
On using the Xbox 360 Kinect Hardware to play Gears
Yeah, we're getting dev kits and we're going to play with it a little bit. I can assume everybody that it's definitely not going to be in Gears 3. It's just not appropriate. I don't want it to be like something where it's like, "Oh, now you chainsaw by going like that [mimics chainsawing something]. But I'm intrigued by the technology. I think the first generation is always like, "Wow, look at me, it's a Dance Dance Party thing,' and that's cute and that's fine, and there's a market for that. If you look at the Wii games that resonate the most, they're kind of a hybrid. Mario Galaxy where you play, then waggle here and there. They pace it out well and it's kind of a mix -- that's the kind of game that I want to see. I think a Heavy Rain type game on that would be amazing. Get some of the performance capture that they're using where you can see that it's an actor, get great writing, get great motion controls, voice controls and you can have a whole genre there that cracks wide open.
Become a barista in Cafe World with new coffee machines
Are you sick of simply cooking recipes in Cafe World, slaving over the hot stove? Now you can brew coffee to serve your guests, with the new coffee maker. This coffee maker brews a limited amount of coffee, which requires the user of a new consumable energy bar. Energy can be refilled by buying energy refills, or by waiting while it regenerates by itself over time.
To access the coffee maker, you first need to unpack the crate in your cafe. In the top right corner of your screen, there is a coffee cup icon that you can click to access your crate, which requires 3 neighbors to open. Once you've unpacked the crate, you can move your new coffee maker anywhere you wish. Clicking on the coffee maker brings up an interface that allows you to select whcih kind of coffee you wish to brew. Higher energy costing coffee produces more servings and higher rewards, but as a result, will cost extra energy to brew. Only one pot of coffee can be brewed at a time, so all cups will have to be depleted before another can be brewed.
What do you think of this feature in Cafe World? I'll take a venti nonfat soy light ice vanilla chai please.
To access the coffee maker, you first need to unpack the crate in your cafe. In the top right corner of your screen, there is a coffee cup icon that you can click to access your crate, which requires 3 neighbors to open. Once you've unpacked the crate, you can move your new coffee maker anywhere you wish. Clicking on the coffee maker brings up an interface that allows you to select whcih kind of coffee you wish to brew. Higher energy costing coffee produces more servings and higher rewards, but as a result, will cost extra energy to brew. Only one pot of coffee can be brewed at a time, so all cups will have to be depleted before another can be brewed.
What do you think of this feature in Cafe World? I'll take a venti nonfat soy light ice vanilla chai please.
Friday, February 10, 2012
New Free FarmVille Gift: Picket Fence II
farmville picket fence
A new FarmVille giftable is now available available to send to your neighbors, Picket Fence II. All farmers can send this new gift as it is available for Level 1+ level players.
farmville picket fence comparison
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Do you like the new picket fence?
A new FarmVille giftable is now available available to send to your neighbors, Picket Fence II. All farmers can send this new gift as it is available for Level 1+ level players.
farmville picket fence comparison
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Do you like the new picket fence?
YoVille fans show off their Moroccan rooms -- which is your favorite?
Just when you think Zynga cant possibly out do themselves, they release an even better theme...The Moroccan theme is one of the best themes YoVille has released to date!! The shear beautifully colored curtains mixed with the equally beautiful furniture, make such a statement in any room design!!
We mixed some of the best designers with YoVille's up and coming designers to show how easy this theme is to work with when creating amazing rooms. Its a tough call to say which room is best here.
Leave your comments and let us know which one you like best!
Violeta Bulgaria
yoville moroccan rooms
This contrast is so beautiful! I absolutely love the cream color with all the colors of this theme. Great room!!
Shiree McCarver
yoville moroccan rooms
Colbalt blue is perfect mixed with an indoor pool!! Such a pretty room.
QueenKK WYID
yoville moroccan rooms
This stunning room shows how simplicity can be just amazing when done perfectly!! Wouldn't expect any less from QueenKK!
Maria Medina
yoville moroccan rooms
Mixing the new style with an older wallpaper and floor is always a plus, and it looks like it was meant to be!! Good job.
Yo Diva WYID
yoville moroccan rooms
This room is breathtaking! Done by our very own Yo Diva WYID, she managed to capture the spicey side of this theme. Well done.
Eric Ebbing
yoville moroccan rooms
Did you ever think doors, pillars and trees would turn out so fantastic? Well now you have seen the proof! This is fabulous.
Dolores Jean
yoville moroccan rooms
This room shows what thinking outside of the box is all about! It is absolutely gorgeous with the background included. Beautiful job.
Bruno NYID
yoville moroccan rooms
WOW!!! What more can be said about something so perfect! Bravo Bruno!!
YVL Spiralda WYID
yoville moroccan rooms
This is yet another fabulous room by top designer and YVL editor Spiralda! Ive always loved these windows, how nice they look with the new theme. Great job Spiralda!
Ailis Alison Murray
yoville moroccan rooms
Double red curtains with this blue just pop when placed on this cream backdrop!! Great color combination Ailis! So pretty!!
I'm really excited about whats to come for this theme in the following weeks!! We will definitely be posting more rooms as the new items come out.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to comment below!! Hope you enjoyed these amazing rooms as much as I did!!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
We mixed some of the best designers with YoVille's up and coming designers to show how easy this theme is to work with when creating amazing rooms. Its a tough call to say which room is best here.
Leave your comments and let us know which one you like best!
Violeta Bulgaria
yoville moroccan rooms
This contrast is so beautiful! I absolutely love the cream color with all the colors of this theme. Great room!!
Shiree McCarver
yoville moroccan rooms
Colbalt blue is perfect mixed with an indoor pool!! Such a pretty room.
QueenKK WYID
yoville moroccan rooms
This stunning room shows how simplicity can be just amazing when done perfectly!! Wouldn't expect any less from QueenKK!
Maria Medina
yoville moroccan rooms
Mixing the new style with an older wallpaper and floor is always a plus, and it looks like it was meant to be!! Good job.
Yo Diva WYID
yoville moroccan rooms
This room is breathtaking! Done by our very own Yo Diva WYID, she managed to capture the spicey side of this theme. Well done.
Eric Ebbing
yoville moroccan rooms
Did you ever think doors, pillars and trees would turn out so fantastic? Well now you have seen the proof! This is fabulous.
Dolores Jean
yoville moroccan rooms
This room shows what thinking outside of the box is all about! It is absolutely gorgeous with the background included. Beautiful job.
Bruno NYID
yoville moroccan rooms
WOW!!! What more can be said about something so perfect! Bravo Bruno!!
YVL Spiralda WYID
yoville moroccan rooms
This is yet another fabulous room by top designer and YVL editor Spiralda! Ive always loved these windows, how nice they look with the new theme. Great job Spiralda!
Ailis Alison Murray
yoville moroccan rooms
Double red curtains with this blue just pop when placed on this cream backdrop!! Great color combination Ailis! So pretty!!
I'm really excited about whats to come for this theme in the following weeks!! We will definitely be posting more rooms as the new items come out.
If you have any comments or questions feel free to comment below!! Hope you enjoyed these amazing rooms as much as I did!!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Save the gulf, buy a pelican in YoVille
Zynga is giving us the chance to help cure the Gulf from the effects of the worst oil spill in the U.S. History . For the next 6 days, YoVille players will be able to purchase a Pelican for 30 YoCash. Which costs a little bit more than 5$ meaning that you will be donating about 3$ for Audubon. It also looks like the Pelican is the first of a series of pets to be added to the game.
This is not the first time, YoVille players participate in donation events. Special pets are also in stores and their proceeds support SF SPCA. Players also helped donate to the world food program by purchasing a limited edition food platter.
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Did you get this bird?
This is not the first time, YoVille players participate in donation events. Special pets are also in stores and their proceeds support SF SPCA. Players also helped donate to the world food program by purchasing a limited edition food platter.
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Did you get this bird?
Pet Society candy ceiling lights glow in the dark
pet society ceiling lights
Yay! We found another glow-in-the-dark item this week. Thanks to Anushka from New Jersey for posting this image of the Candy Ceiling Lights on the Pet Society Anonymous page on Facebook.
pet society candy ceiling lights
These lights are a one week only special for 250 coins in the DIY shop, in Fixtures & Fittings. We love the two little bunnies on top! In case you're wondering, the tall Ice Cream Candle for 400 coins does not glow in the dark.
This article originally appeared on Pet Society Anonymous.
Yay! We found another glow-in-the-dark item this week. Thanks to Anushka from New Jersey for posting this image of the Candy Ceiling Lights on the Pet Society Anonymous page on Facebook.
pet society candy ceiling lights
These lights are a one week only special for 250 coins in the DIY shop, in Fixtures & Fittings. We love the two little bunnies on top! In case you're wondering, the tall Ice Cream Candle for 400 coins does not glow in the dark.
This article originally appeared on Pet Society Anonymous.
YoVille Moroccan Bedroom Furniture now in stock
moroccan bedroom furniture
YoVille Moroccan Bedroom Furniture is here. Ornate Nightstands, Beds, lamps are now available in the Furniture Store for both Coins and YoCash.
A complete list of pictures and prices is available after the jump.
YoVille already released Moroccan living room furniture that you can read about here.
Don't forget to tell us what you think in comments!
yoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furniture
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille Moroccan Bedroom Furniture is here. Ornate Nightstands, Beds, lamps are now available in the Furniture Store for both Coins and YoCash.
A complete list of pictures and prices is available after the jump.
YoVille already released Moroccan living room furniture that you can read about here.
Don't forget to tell us what you think in comments!
yoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furnitureyoville moroccan bedroom furniture
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
YoVille Slot Machines coming soon - cha-ching!
YoVille Slot Machine
This is an official post by Zynga's Platinum Ninja.
We wanted to let you all in on a little secret. We'll be adding a new Slot Machine in YoVille that will allow you to cash in on Daily Spins everyday! With this new slot machine coming we will be removing the Daily Log In Bonus from YoVille...
Here is a quick breakdown of how it is going to work and some questions we thought you might have in regards to this new feature: As many of you remember we have played around with different daily types of daily bonuses to reward those of you that log in everyday! We had the YoLotto, then the Daily Login Bonus, and now we will have the slot machine. We love to reward you all that log in daily and want to jazz it up for you and give you a chance to get some bigger payouts.
How do I use the Slot Machine?
You will receive a pop-up when you first enter the game as you did with the Daily Bonus. Click Spin and then click spin again to stop it to find out what combo you got :) If you close out of the pop-up you will always be able to access the Slot Machine in the Casino as we will be replacing the old Slot Machine with the new one there too.
How Many times can I use the Slot Machine?
We will be granting you free spins everyday. The more you log in the more free spins we will grant you, which will increase your chances on winning! Here is the breakdown of how many spins you can get depending on how many days in a row you log in.
1st Day – 1 Spins
2nd Consecutive Day – 2 Spins
3rd Consecutive Day – 3 Spins
4th Consecutive Day – 4 Spins
5th Consecutive Day – 5 Spins
Once your run out of your free spins for the day you will still be able to spin more if you would like by purchasing more spins for coins or YoCash.
We'll also be giving you the option to send and receive spins from your friends through Feeds (More info and screenshots to come on the Slot Machine Feed) to up your chances on getting a huge pay out :) If you hit the jackpot big or one of your friends do you will be able to post a feed for your friends to click in on. Keep an eye on these types of feeds as you will be able to get a Free Spin if you click in on them.
How many symbols are there?
There will be a lot of different symbols and combinations that will create winning spins! Keep your eyes out for the Yoville Logo, Red 7, Star, Bar, Cherry, Coin, and Diamond Symbols on the Slot Machine. We'll be providing a Payout Table on the Slot Machine so you can see what combos equal a winning combo of symbols.
What are the payouts?
You'll have to wait to find out the exact combo payouts are but I can tell you that if you spin a winning combo they will all be coin payouts. The slot machine will pay out by chance and the payout will range as all slot machines do, but keep in mind that some of these pay outs are going to huge! Test your luck on the slot machine and see how lucky you are.
Betting
We'll also be giving you the option to bet for those of you that like a little gamble. So take a little risk!
Past Winners
You'll be able to preview some of high winners. You'll have to show off and win big and make everyone jealous and get yourself up there as well ;)
Expect to see the slot machine in game most likely later this week. We'll keep you updated on when it is live in game! Also, this is just the beginning of the Slot Machine so expect new fun things to come with this new feature in the future as well. Well that's about all folks. Stay tuned for your first chance to spin the slot machine and win big.
Thanks!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
This is an official post by Zynga's Platinum Ninja.
We wanted to let you all in on a little secret. We'll be adding a new Slot Machine in YoVille that will allow you to cash in on Daily Spins everyday! With this new slot machine coming we will be removing the Daily Log In Bonus from YoVille...
Here is a quick breakdown of how it is going to work and some questions we thought you might have in regards to this new feature: As many of you remember we have played around with different daily types of daily bonuses to reward those of you that log in everyday! We had the YoLotto, then the Daily Login Bonus, and now we will have the slot machine. We love to reward you all that log in daily and want to jazz it up for you and give you a chance to get some bigger payouts.
How do I use the Slot Machine?
You will receive a pop-up when you first enter the game as you did with the Daily Bonus. Click Spin and then click spin again to stop it to find out what combo you got :) If you close out of the pop-up you will always be able to access the Slot Machine in the Casino as we will be replacing the old Slot Machine with the new one there too.
How Many times can I use the Slot Machine?
We will be granting you free spins everyday. The more you log in the more free spins we will grant you, which will increase your chances on winning! Here is the breakdown of how many spins you can get depending on how many days in a row you log in.
1st Day – 1 Spins
2nd Consecutive Day – 2 Spins
3rd Consecutive Day – 3 Spins
4th Consecutive Day – 4 Spins
5th Consecutive Day – 5 Spins
Once your run out of your free spins for the day you will still be able to spin more if you would like by purchasing more spins for coins or YoCash.
We'll also be giving you the option to send and receive spins from your friends through Feeds (More info and screenshots to come on the Slot Machine Feed) to up your chances on getting a huge pay out :) If you hit the jackpot big or one of your friends do you will be able to post a feed for your friends to click in on. Keep an eye on these types of feeds as you will be able to get a Free Spin if you click in on them.
How many symbols are there?
There will be a lot of different symbols and combinations that will create winning spins! Keep your eyes out for the Yoville Logo, Red 7, Star, Bar, Cherry, Coin, and Diamond Symbols on the Slot Machine. We'll be providing a Payout Table on the Slot Machine so you can see what combos equal a winning combo of symbols.
What are the payouts?
You'll have to wait to find out the exact combo payouts are but I can tell you that if you spin a winning combo they will all be coin payouts. The slot machine will pay out by chance and the payout will range as all slot machines do, but keep in mind that some of these pay outs are going to huge! Test your luck on the slot machine and see how lucky you are.
Betting
We'll also be giving you the option to bet for those of you that like a little gamble. So take a little risk!
Past Winners
You'll be able to preview some of high winners. You'll have to show off and win big and make everyone jealous and get yourself up there as well ;)
Expect to see the slot machine in game most likely later this week. We'll keep you updated on when it is live in game! Also, this is just the beginning of the Slot Machine so expect new fun things to come with this new feature in the future as well. Well that's about all folks. Stay tuned for your first chance to spin the slot machine and win big.
Thanks!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Happy Aquarium takes the Wonderful World of Oz underwater
Happy Aquarium Wizard of Oz fish
Today, Happy Aquarium has taken it upon itself to represent the Lollipop Guild along with the cast of Victor Fleming's 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, and it does this the best way it knows how -- by turning everyone into Limited Edition fish!
We're not sure what L. Frank Baum thinks of that, but hey, it worked with the ladies from Sex and the City.
Happy Aquarium Wizard of Oz decor
Today, Happy Aquarium has taken it upon itself to represent the Lollipop Guild along with the cast of Victor Fleming's 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, and it does this the best way it knows how -- by turning everyone into Limited Edition fish!
We're not sure what L. Frank Baum thinks of that, but hey, it worked with the ladies from Sex and the City.
Happy Aquarium Wizard of Oz decor
FarmVille Limited Edition Summer Buildings: Curiosity Shop & Roadside Diner
farmville curiosity shop
FarmVille is continuing with the Limited Edition Summer theme, with the release of two additional LE Summer buildings including the Curiosity Shop and Roadside Diner.
You can purchase both of these buildings during the next 9 days in the FarmVille Market.
farmville curiosity shop
FarmVille LE Summer Buildings (Released August 24th 2010):
Curiosity Shop -350,000 Coins
Roadside Diner – 42 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
FarmVille is continuing with the Limited Edition Summer theme, with the release of two additional LE Summer buildings including the Curiosity Shop and Roadside Diner.
You can purchase both of these buildings during the next 9 days in the FarmVille Market.
farmville curiosity shop
FarmVille LE Summer Buildings (Released August 24th 2010):
Curiosity Shop -350,000 Coins
Roadside Diner – 42 FV$
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
FarmVille Limited Edition Summer Decorations: Mt. Waterfall, Hippo Fountain, Backyard Sprinkler, Roadside Statue, & Coffee Tower
There are lots of new Limited Edition Summer themed decorations now available in the FarmVille Market including Mt. Waterwall, Hippo Fountain, Backyard Sprinkler, Roadside Statue, and Coffee Tower.
You may recognize many of these items as they were previously featured as unreleased items. All of these LE decorations can be purchased during the next 9 days only in the FarmVille Market.
farmville mountain waterfall
FarmVille Summer Themed Decorations (Released August 24, 2010):
Mt. Waterfall – 30 FV$
Hippo Fountain – 22 FV$
Backyard Sprinkler 100,000 Coins
Roadside Statue – 80,000 Coins
Coffee Tower – 50,000 Coins
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
What do you think of these new LE decorations? Will you be purchasing any of them for your farm?
You may recognize many of these items as they were previously featured as unreleased items. All of these LE decorations can be purchased during the next 9 days only in the FarmVille Market.
farmville mountain waterfall
FarmVille Summer Themed Decorations (Released August 24, 2010):
Mt. Waterfall – 30 FV$
Hippo Fountain – 22 FV$
Backyard Sprinkler 100,000 Coins
Roadside Statue – 80,000 Coins
Coffee Tower – 50,000 Coins
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
What do you think of these new LE decorations? Will you be purchasing any of them for your farm?
Monday, February 6, 2012
FrontierVille sets the homestead ablaze with fiery decor
FrontierVille Fire This Time
FrontierVille has very sneaky lately with their updates. We first noticed this with the Mystery Animal Crates, and before that, there was the Horseshoe Pit minigame. In fact, it took the game a week before announcing the new fire items decor on its official Facebook page. These fire-themed items present a great follow-up to their camping set.
FrontierVille Fire Decorations
There are 9 new items, and we covered the first 4 Limited Edition ones over here. Again, these are:
Ring of Fire (Costs 45 Horseshoes, Gives 270 XP)
Chugging Burner (Costs 35,000 coins, Gives 350 XP)
Wood Bin (Costs 25 Lumber and 2500 coins, Gives 25 XP)
Wood Pile (Costs 15 Lumber and 1500 coins, Gives 15 XP)
FrontierVille Log Campfire and Smoke Signaler
Since then, 5 more items have joined the set, where the first is a Limited Edition item:
Smoke Signaler (Add 1 neighbor or 5 Horseshoes to unlock; after that, it costs 35 Horseshoes!)
Hot Furnace (20 Horseshoes, Gives 120 XP)
Raised Campfire (5 Horseshoes, Gives 30 XP)
Tiki Torch (10 Horseshoes, Gives 60 XP)
Log Campfire (30 Wood and 6000 Coins, Gives 60 XP)
The Smoke Signaler, Raised Campfire, and Chugging Burner are animated to let out smoke, flicker flames, or pump water. There's no telling if we'll see foxes jump through the Ring of Fire, but for 45 Horseshoes, they'd better!
FrontierVille has very sneaky lately with their updates. We first noticed this with the Mystery Animal Crates, and before that, there was the Horseshoe Pit minigame. In fact, it took the game a week before announcing the new fire items decor on its official Facebook page. These fire-themed items present a great follow-up to their camping set.
FrontierVille Fire Decorations
There are 9 new items, and we covered the first 4 Limited Edition ones over here. Again, these are:
Ring of Fire (Costs 45 Horseshoes, Gives 270 XP)
Chugging Burner (Costs 35,000 coins, Gives 350 XP)
Wood Bin (Costs 25 Lumber and 2500 coins, Gives 25 XP)
Wood Pile (Costs 15 Lumber and 1500 coins, Gives 15 XP)
FrontierVille Log Campfire and Smoke Signaler
Since then, 5 more items have joined the set, where the first is a Limited Edition item:
Smoke Signaler (Add 1 neighbor or 5 Horseshoes to unlock; after that, it costs 35 Horseshoes!)
Hot Furnace (20 Horseshoes, Gives 120 XP)
Raised Campfire (5 Horseshoes, Gives 30 XP)
Tiki Torch (10 Horseshoes, Gives 60 XP)
Log Campfire (30 Wood and 6000 Coins, Gives 60 XP)
The Smoke Signaler, Raised Campfire, and Chugging Burner are animated to let out smoke, flicker flames, or pump water. There's no telling if we'll see foxes jump through the Ring of Fire, but for 45 Horseshoes, they'd better!
Puzzle Pop! on Facebook kicks your competitive spirit into overdrive
Puzzle Pop!, the new match-3 game from the New York-based Candystand.com, will get your competitive fires going as you and up to five others go head-to-head furiously matching three or more of the same colored bubbles, making them disappear before they reach the bottom of the screen. When they do -- it's game over.
puzzle pop on facebook multiplayer
If you're well-versed in casual games, this probably sounds like several dozen other games you've played before. But Puzzle Pop! has a secret weapon -- a diabolical series of power-ups which can be used to help yourself and attack opponents.
These power-ups are collected when you pop bubbles carrying them, and then you can drop and drag attacks on players of your choice, or just click to use a power-up on your own screen. One of my personal faves so far is the 2-Line power-up, which automatically removes two rows -- crucial if your bubbles are nearing the bottom of the screen. Then there's the attacks, such as the 'Blindfold' which keeps the player from seeing the screen and the Reverso, which reverses your opponents controls. The more you play, the more you'll learn to strategize with your power-ups. My favorite move is to save 'em up and then let them loose at once on an unsuspecting opponent.
farmville power-ups
Like other Facebook games, you can invite friends to play and their names (and scores) will appear in a leaderboard at the bottom of the screen. You can also see which friends are online and ready to play and click their images to instantly join their multiplayer games. If none of your friends are online, you will automatically be paired with other players. Puzzle Pop includes an in-game chat (with the ability to 'mute' people if need be) and you can form teams with friends.
puzzle pop on facebook
Right now there are no gifting options in the game, nor is there virtual currency used to buy virtual items in a store. Instead, this social game takes aim at your wallet by enticing you to 'Go Pro' by paying a monthly subscription fee. Once you go Pro, you will have access to new characters and special power-ups that the regular players don't have -- which means if you decide to pay, you'll increase your odds of winning. While offering extras to people who pay is cool, it definitely puts free players at a disadvantage in this super-competitive environment, and I'll predict that won't go over well once players catch on.
Puzzle Pop still has a few details to work out, but it's still one of the more refreshing Facebook gaming experiences I've had in recent months. I've grown so used to playing the role of 'helper' in FarmVille and the other big social games, that it feels good to tap into that oh-so dormant competitive side for a change. Now, who's ready to take me on?
Play Puzzle Pop! on Facebook >
puzzle pop on facebook multiplayer
If you're well-versed in casual games, this probably sounds like several dozen other games you've played before. But Puzzle Pop! has a secret weapon -- a diabolical series of power-ups which can be used to help yourself and attack opponents.
These power-ups are collected when you pop bubbles carrying them, and then you can drop and drag attacks on players of your choice, or just click to use a power-up on your own screen. One of my personal faves so far is the 2-Line power-up, which automatically removes two rows -- crucial if your bubbles are nearing the bottom of the screen. Then there's the attacks, such as the 'Blindfold' which keeps the player from seeing the screen and the Reverso, which reverses your opponents controls. The more you play, the more you'll learn to strategize with your power-ups. My favorite move is to save 'em up and then let them loose at once on an unsuspecting opponent.
farmville power-ups
Like other Facebook games, you can invite friends to play and their names (and scores) will appear in a leaderboard at the bottom of the screen. You can also see which friends are online and ready to play and click their images to instantly join their multiplayer games. If none of your friends are online, you will automatically be paired with other players. Puzzle Pop includes an in-game chat (with the ability to 'mute' people if need be) and you can form teams with friends.
puzzle pop on facebook
Right now there are no gifting options in the game, nor is there virtual currency used to buy virtual items in a store. Instead, this social game takes aim at your wallet by enticing you to 'Go Pro' by paying a monthly subscription fee. Once you go Pro, you will have access to new characters and special power-ups that the regular players don't have -- which means if you decide to pay, you'll increase your odds of winning. While offering extras to people who pay is cool, it definitely puts free players at a disadvantage in this super-competitive environment, and I'll predict that won't go over well once players catch on.
Puzzle Pop still has a few details to work out, but it's still one of the more refreshing Facebook gaming experiences I've had in recent months. I've grown so used to playing the role of 'helper' in FarmVille and the other big social games, that it feels good to tap into that oh-so dormant competitive side for a change. Now, who's ready to take me on?
Play Puzzle Pop! on Facebook >
Mall Dreams takes Facebook games to another social level
You might already know Metrogames from their popular title Fashion World, and now they have just released another game that is likely to climb up the charts. Mall Dreams just launched several days ago, and it's not what you'd like. With "Mall" in the title, I immediately assumed that it would be a game like Mall World or It-Girl, where the goal is to buy outfits for your avatar and sell them. Mall Dreams is actually a tycoon game, in which you don't have an avatar at all. The goal of the game is to grow a mall by buying shops, decorations, and transportation, and pleasing your customers.
The game features an overhead view similar to other tycoon-style games such as Zoo Paradise or Happy Island. Patrons walk around buying things from your stores, and you can keep them happy by directing them to the stores they're desiring. Shops can simply be purchased with coins from the store, and after they are placed on the grid they can be upgraded using coins. Everyone starts out with one area to build upon, and as they level up they can unlock new areas.
The game also features a hiring mechanic where you can ask your friends to help out in your mall. There are also standard gifts and neighbors. You can set shifts to run, similar to games like My Empire, and if you come back at the end of the shift time (and not too late) you can collect a bonus. All buildings also give coin bonuses if customers shop at them, and you can earn XP and coins by cleaning up trash within your mall grounds.
By far the absolute neatest and most innovative feature in Mall Dreams is the new Investment feature. With this feature, you can choose one of your friends and "invest" coins into them. When your friends reach higher levels, you get a lot of coins back. This is by far one of the more advanced social features we have seen yet. Once you pick a friend, you can post on their wall telling them that you've invested in them. How powerful this can be is yet to be seen, but we suspect that the simple fact that you know your friend is relying on you will encourage you to log in and play Mall Dreams. We can't wait to see this one play out.
Mall Dreams is one of the more promising games that we've seen lately, and it's the first one to take mall building to a different level. With new social features and a really polished feel, Mall Dreams is a sure hit.
Play Mall Dreams on Facebook Now >
The game features an overhead view similar to other tycoon-style games such as Zoo Paradise or Happy Island. Patrons walk around buying things from your stores, and you can keep them happy by directing them to the stores they're desiring. Shops can simply be purchased with coins from the store, and after they are placed on the grid they can be upgraded using coins. Everyone starts out with one area to build upon, and as they level up they can unlock new areas.
The game also features a hiring mechanic where you can ask your friends to help out in your mall. There are also standard gifts and neighbors. You can set shifts to run, similar to games like My Empire, and if you come back at the end of the shift time (and not too late) you can collect a bonus. All buildings also give coin bonuses if customers shop at them, and you can earn XP and coins by cleaning up trash within your mall grounds.
By far the absolute neatest and most innovative feature in Mall Dreams is the new Investment feature. With this feature, you can choose one of your friends and "invest" coins into them. When your friends reach higher levels, you get a lot of coins back. This is by far one of the more advanced social features we have seen yet. Once you pick a friend, you can post on their wall telling them that you've invested in them. How powerful this can be is yet to be seen, but we suspect that the simple fact that you know your friend is relying on you will encourage you to log in and play Mall Dreams. We can't wait to see this one play out.
Mall Dreams is one of the more promising games that we've seen lately, and it's the first one to take mall building to a different level. With new social features and a really polished feel, Mall Dreams is a sure hit.
Play Mall Dreams on Facebook Now >
Want fries with that? FarmVille and McDonalds team up for promotion
farmville mcdonalds cafe promotion -- games.com
Looks like FarmVille has partnered up with one of the most recognized brands in the world -- McDonalds. Based on this series of unreleased images spotted on several fans sites, it looks like Zynga and the Golden Arches will run a promotion that might be along the lines of the popular 7-Eleven promotion that ran earlier this year.
There is no official confirmation on this partnership or details yet. But, for speculation's sake, maybe you will be able to buy a special FarmVille-branded McCafe and redeem a code on the cup for a special in-game item, like a branded flag or coffee cup in the images above. Stay tuned for more details when we've got 'em.
Looks like FarmVille has partnered up with one of the most recognized brands in the world -- McDonalds. Based on this series of unreleased images spotted on several fans sites, it looks like Zynga and the Golden Arches will run a promotion that might be along the lines of the popular 7-Eleven promotion that ran earlier this year.
There is no official confirmation on this partnership or details yet. But, for speculation's sake, maybe you will be able to buy a special FarmVille-branded McCafe and redeem a code on the cup for a special in-game item, like a branded flag or coffee cup in the images above. Stay tuned for more details when we've got 'em.
These three new Facebook updates will change the way you game
Facebook has made some major announcements about upcoming changes to the social network, which will directly impact how we play Facebook games, how we interact with other players, and how we discover new games. Here's a quick rundown of some of the major changes that are coming your way.
Only see posts from games you play
This one is mostly worthy of rejoice for Facebook game players. Instead of your newsfeed being filled with games that you don't play, you will now only see wall posts for applications that you have installed. This is bad news for game developers who rely on the newsfeed in order to grow their playerbase, but it's good news for those of us who don't want to be spammed with posts from games we don't play.
Bookmarks are changing for the better
Right now, bookmarks require you to add to them and maintain them. Now, bookmarks will be automatically generated based on the games/applications that you interact with most. In addition, there will be counters next to the bookmarks so that you can know when there is an objective to accomplish in a game. Requests are also moving to the left side of the screen by the bookmarks, so that all of your game data is in one place. You'll also be able to retract requests, and any requests that are new will stand out.
Feed collapsing is going away
You know how you'll see posts from your favorite game, but you'll have to click "View more" to see all the posts about that particular game? This will now go away. Since feed posts will only be visible by the people who play the game and want to see the posts, there is no longer a need to collapse all the posts together. This is a big win for those of us who play games on Facebook!
Only see posts from games you play
This one is mostly worthy of rejoice for Facebook game players. Instead of your newsfeed being filled with games that you don't play, you will now only see wall posts for applications that you have installed. This is bad news for game developers who rely on the newsfeed in order to grow their playerbase, but it's good news for those of us who don't want to be spammed with posts from games we don't play.
Bookmarks are changing for the better
Right now, bookmarks require you to add to them and maintain them. Now, bookmarks will be automatically generated based on the games/applications that you interact with most. In addition, there will be counters next to the bookmarks so that you can know when there is an objective to accomplish in a game. Requests are also moving to the left side of the screen by the bookmarks, so that all of your game data is in one place. You'll also be able to retract requests, and any requests that are new will stand out.
Feed collapsing is going away
You know how you'll see posts from your favorite game, but you'll have to click "View more" to see all the posts about that particular game? This will now go away. Since feed posts will only be visible by the people who play the game and want to see the posts, there is no longer a need to collapse all the posts together. This is a big win for those of us who play games on Facebook!
Friday, February 3, 2012
PetVille Haunted Mansion Collection: Turn your home into an eerie estate
PetVille Haunted Mansion
If you thought PetVille's Halloween celebrations were over with mix-and-match costumes and a sprawling list of decorations, then you're in for a treat with the new Haunted Mansion Collection. While much smaller than Zynga's previous Halloween additions, this update brings some of the most interesting Halloween decorations I've seen yet.
Check behind the cut for a look at the complete Haunted Mansion set.
PetVille Haunted Mansion set
Left to right: Gary Gargoyle, Gothic Table, Jar of Eyes and other contents,Itsy Bitsy Spider,
Vald Bathory Portrait, Damien Bathory Portrait, Claudia Bathory Portrait,
Bookshelf of Horrors (contents sold separately), Trapped Little Ghost, Gothic Balcony
PetVille Haunted Mansion
Left to right: Guillotine, Trap Door, Erzebet Bathory Portrait, Grandma Ghost, Spooky Piano
PetVille Haunted Mansion
Gothic Staircase and Ancient Egyptian Coffin
If I were you, I'd save up all the Pet Cash I could for that Grandma Ghost. She might look simple enough, but stare for a bit longer and she disappears only to materialize again in and creepy, endless knitting trance. Not to mention she'll only stick around for another eight days. Casper's got noting on old Granny.
If you thought PetVille's Halloween celebrations were over with mix-and-match costumes and a sprawling list of decorations, then you're in for a treat with the new Haunted Mansion Collection. While much smaller than Zynga's previous Halloween additions, this update brings some of the most interesting Halloween decorations I've seen yet.
Check behind the cut for a look at the complete Haunted Mansion set.
PetVille Haunted Mansion set
Left to right: Gary Gargoyle, Gothic Table, Jar of Eyes and other contents,Itsy Bitsy Spider,
Vald Bathory Portrait, Damien Bathory Portrait, Claudia Bathory Portrait,
Bookshelf of Horrors (contents sold separately), Trapped Little Ghost, Gothic Balcony
PetVille Haunted Mansion
Left to right: Guillotine, Trap Door, Erzebet Bathory Portrait, Grandma Ghost, Spooky Piano
PetVille Haunted Mansion
Gothic Staircase and Ancient Egyptian Coffin
If I were you, I'd save up all the Pet Cash I could for that Grandma Ghost. She might look simple enough, but stare for a bit longer and she disappears only to materialize again in and creepy, endless knitting trance. Not to mention she'll only stick around for another eight days. Casper's got noting on old Granny.
Cafe World Ghoulish Feast Catering Order: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Ghoulish Feast
To ring in Halloween in the most delicious way possible, Zynga has introduced Cafe World's ninth Catering Order: the Ghoulish Feast. This is a pretty large order, calling for a hefty amount of food and 25 additional items, but completing it with three stars will net you the brand new Caramel Corn recipe.
Join us behind the break for a full guide on how to tackle this terrifyingly tall task.
Caramel Apples Vampire Staked Steak
First things first, it's unsure whether this order is locked until you complete The Banquet, but we recommend finishing just in case--plus, you'll earn a new a recipe, so it's a win-win. Luckily, you'll be able to employ the help of 25 friends to make this job that much easier, so get your popularity in check before taking on this gig. Here's what you'll need to cook up:
Vampire Staked Steak: 144 servings, cooks in 24 hours
Caramel Apples: 113 servings, cooks in 2 hours
While there are only two dishes, the 144 orders of Vampire Staked Steaks are going to take quite a while to get through without some help. Not to mention you need to ask your friends for these additional decorations: 10 Black Lights, 10 Skulls and five Spider Webs, Thankfully, gifting these items to your friends creates one for yourself, which will definitely speed up the process. Of course, you can unlock all of these items for Cafe Cash, but where's the fun in that? Again, completing this job within the three allotted time limits will grant you different rewards:
Within Three Days: 6,332 Cafe Points, 94,972 coins, Caramel Corn recipe
Within Seven Days: 4,523 Cafe Points, 67,838 coins
Over Seven Days: 2,714 Cafe Points, 40,703 coins
And remember kids, employing the good old trick of waiting until the dishes are nearly finished before accepting the order will make this gig that much easier. Good luck catering the scariest dinner party this side of the Internet.
To ring in Halloween in the most delicious way possible, Zynga has introduced Cafe World's ninth Catering Order: the Ghoulish Feast. This is a pretty large order, calling for a hefty amount of food and 25 additional items, but completing it with three stars will net you the brand new Caramel Corn recipe.
Join us behind the break for a full guide on how to tackle this terrifyingly tall task.
Caramel Apples Vampire Staked Steak
First things first, it's unsure whether this order is locked until you complete The Banquet, but we recommend finishing just in case--plus, you'll earn a new a recipe, so it's a win-win. Luckily, you'll be able to employ the help of 25 friends to make this job that much easier, so get your popularity in check before taking on this gig. Here's what you'll need to cook up:
Vampire Staked Steak: 144 servings, cooks in 24 hours
Caramel Apples: 113 servings, cooks in 2 hours
While there are only two dishes, the 144 orders of Vampire Staked Steaks are going to take quite a while to get through without some help. Not to mention you need to ask your friends for these additional decorations: 10 Black Lights, 10 Skulls and five Spider Webs, Thankfully, gifting these items to your friends creates one for yourself, which will definitely speed up the process. Of course, you can unlock all of these items for Cafe Cash, but where's the fun in that? Again, completing this job within the three allotted time limits will grant you different rewards:
Within Three Days: 6,332 Cafe Points, 94,972 coins, Caramel Corn recipe
Within Seven Days: 4,523 Cafe Points, 67,838 coins
Over Seven Days: 2,714 Cafe Points, 40,703 coins
And remember kids, employing the good old trick of waiting until the dishes are nearly finished before accepting the order will make this gig that much easier. Good luck catering the scariest dinner party this side of the Internet.
Heaven's Diner: Diner Dash meets online menu sharing
That's the message of Heaven's Diner presented by Hermes on behalf of Zeus and game publisher Mobilitz. Heaven's Diner is one part online-menu sharing and one part Diner Dash. The goal of this latest addition to Facebook's social gaming is to work your way through the Greek pantheon, building up your restaurant and serving the gods.
The game starts you off in Prima Heaven. Gamers have four tables, where they seat angels in the hope of eventually having the honor of serving the goddess Athena. Your restaurant can serve up to four dishes, which you "Summon" from The Food Scripture. While the naming is heavy handed, the actual design has some modest social appeal. Facebook gamers can upload pictures of various dishes, name the restaurant the dish is found in and write a review of the dish. The more popular the dish is, the more you'll earn when serving that dish in your restaurant.
From there, the gameplay pretty much functions as Diner Dash for the gods, minus our favorite young entrepreneur Flo. Angels will periodically pop up at tables, accompanied by a dialogue bubble that shows a picture of the food item they want. Once you have the order, you click the dish from your menu at the top of your screen and watch it get prepared on the bottom of the screen.
There's a little confusion you may have to work your way through. Although there are four platters on the bottom of the screen, only three of them are reserved for dishes being cooked. The fourth tray, that is farthest to the right, is the tray that is ready to be served. Gamers can only serve the dish that is on the serving tray even if another dish is ready. Click the wrong Angel by accident and they will respond with an ill-tempered grimace. The game adds a second level of difficulty when ingredients are added to dishes. Then you must wait for your dish to be cooked and moved to the serving tray, before adding one of four ingredients. Each dish can have up to three additional ingredients.
Each patron at your restaurant starts off with three hearts, which gradually deplete depending on the service. The more hearts you earn, the faster you will fill your god meter. Athena will visit your restaurant once this meter is filled. Athena's hearts deplete faster because she expects to be served right away. Successfully serve Athena, and at the end of the round she will offer you one of six unmarked chests to choose a reward from. You also earn money called Karmas that can be used to upgrade the style of your restaurant so that you can eventually earn more. Gamers also get 1000 Karmas just for uploading their first dish. Each serving round lasts one minute. After a while your energy will begin to deplete. However, you will get additional energy cells every fifteen minutes.
Right now, there are at least four grades of godliness - the first being Prima Heaven. You can unlock Poseidon's Realm at level 20 by earning certain items from satisfying Athena. Since this is a new game, the social aspect still needs some work. There's no way to easily exchange or gift items to other gamers. There's also no incentive to add other restaurants or Facebook users to your roster. In future updates, Mobilitz should consider adding in some form of competition with other gamers to boost stats. For now, it's nice to reap the Karma boosts from Facebook gamers who Summon my Jerk Ribeye.
In November, Mobilitz plans to release a free companion iPhone app for Heaven's Diner. According to Mobilits the app "adds location-based tools, turning mobile players into real-life 'food hunter.'"
Play Heaven's Diner on Facebook >
The game starts you off in Prima Heaven. Gamers have four tables, where they seat angels in the hope of eventually having the honor of serving the goddess Athena. Your restaurant can serve up to four dishes, which you "Summon" from The Food Scripture. While the naming is heavy handed, the actual design has some modest social appeal. Facebook gamers can upload pictures of various dishes, name the restaurant the dish is found in and write a review of the dish. The more popular the dish is, the more you'll earn when serving that dish in your restaurant.
From there, the gameplay pretty much functions as Diner Dash for the gods, minus our favorite young entrepreneur Flo. Angels will periodically pop up at tables, accompanied by a dialogue bubble that shows a picture of the food item they want. Once you have the order, you click the dish from your menu at the top of your screen and watch it get prepared on the bottom of the screen.
There's a little confusion you may have to work your way through. Although there are four platters on the bottom of the screen, only three of them are reserved for dishes being cooked. The fourth tray, that is farthest to the right, is the tray that is ready to be served. Gamers can only serve the dish that is on the serving tray even if another dish is ready. Click the wrong Angel by accident and they will respond with an ill-tempered grimace. The game adds a second level of difficulty when ingredients are added to dishes. Then you must wait for your dish to be cooked and moved to the serving tray, before adding one of four ingredients. Each dish can have up to three additional ingredients.
Each patron at your restaurant starts off with three hearts, which gradually deplete depending on the service. The more hearts you earn, the faster you will fill your god meter. Athena will visit your restaurant once this meter is filled. Athena's hearts deplete faster because she expects to be served right away. Successfully serve Athena, and at the end of the round she will offer you one of six unmarked chests to choose a reward from. You also earn money called Karmas that can be used to upgrade the style of your restaurant so that you can eventually earn more. Gamers also get 1000 Karmas just for uploading their first dish. Each serving round lasts one minute. After a while your energy will begin to deplete. However, you will get additional energy cells every fifteen minutes.
Right now, there are at least four grades of godliness - the first being Prima Heaven. You can unlock Poseidon's Realm at level 20 by earning certain items from satisfying Athena. Since this is a new game, the social aspect still needs some work. There's no way to easily exchange or gift items to other gamers. There's also no incentive to add other restaurants or Facebook users to your roster. In future updates, Mobilitz should consider adding in some form of competition with other gamers to boost stats. For now, it's nice to reap the Karma boosts from Facebook gamers who Summon my Jerk Ribeye.
In November, Mobilitz plans to release a free companion iPhone app for Heaven's Diner. According to Mobilits the app "adds location-based tools, turning mobile players into real-life 'food hunter.'"
Play Heaven's Diner on Facebook >
Vampire Wars opens Pandora's Box, gather Ambrosia to unlock its secrets
Pandora's Box
For the past few days, Vampire Wars players have been freely gifting each other a peculiar item, Ambrosia, with promise from Zynga that the reason for it would be revealed soon. Finally, we have use for the ancient nectar with the new Pandora's Box mission. Ancient Greece's first woman has arrived, offering to open the forbidden box for some divine Ambrosia. Working much like any other mission in the game, each attempt to open Pandora's Box will cost two Ambrosia and 30 Energy. Gradually prying open the forbidden chest further will unlock new abilities for your avatar. Here's what you'll earn as you inch closer towards opening the box:
40 percent Mastery: Cause Despair (95 Attack, 60 Defense)
80 percent Mastery: Epidemic (100 Attack, 65 Defense)
100 percent Mastery: Hope (75 Attack, 160 Defense)
In addition to sending and requesting Ambrosia, you can also ask your friends for help with the mission, which will grant them a bonus too. You only have until Oct. 29 to unlock Pandora's secrets, so gather enough of the immortal fruit before she leaves forever.
For the past few days, Vampire Wars players have been freely gifting each other a peculiar item, Ambrosia, with promise from Zynga that the reason for it would be revealed soon. Finally, we have use for the ancient nectar with the new Pandora's Box mission. Ancient Greece's first woman has arrived, offering to open the forbidden box for some divine Ambrosia. Working much like any other mission in the game, each attempt to open Pandora's Box will cost two Ambrosia and 30 Energy. Gradually prying open the forbidden chest further will unlock new abilities for your avatar. Here's what you'll earn as you inch closer towards opening the box:
40 percent Mastery: Cause Despair (95 Attack, 60 Defense)
80 percent Mastery: Epidemic (100 Attack, 65 Defense)
100 percent Mastery: Hope (75 Attack, 160 Defense)
In addition to sending and requesting Ambrosia, you can also ask your friends for help with the mission, which will grant them a bonus too. You only have until Oct. 29 to unlock Pandora's secrets, so gather enough of the immortal fruit before she leaves forever.
Apple's on the hunt for mobile, social game partnerships
If a freshly submitted job posting is any indication, Apple is looking to strengthen its relationships with current and future game developers. While it's obvious already that the company is serious about gaming with the recent release of Game Center for iOS 4 devices, it seems now that Apple is keen on improving its interpersonal relations with mobile game developers.
With Google possibly in cahoots with several publishers, Zynga looking to improve its mobile games and Facebook attempting to improve its own games platform--not to mention it's making beaucoup bucks from Facebook Credits in its social games--Apple cannot afford to sit idly on this golden opportunity. Whoever is lucky enough to score the six-figure gig will be known as Apple's Casual Games and Social Networking Partnership Manager. According to the posting, the fortunate fellow will "be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with new and existing software developers, to promote application development, and to continue the delivery of world-class solutions and content on Apple devices."
In other words, play nice with mobile game developers so that they don't go anywhere else. Oh my, what perfect timing you have, Apple.
With Google possibly in cahoots with several publishers, Zynga looking to improve its mobile games and Facebook attempting to improve its own games platform--not to mention it's making beaucoup bucks from Facebook Credits in its social games--Apple cannot afford to sit idly on this golden opportunity. Whoever is lucky enough to score the six-figure gig will be known as Apple's Casual Games and Social Networking Partnership Manager. According to the posting, the fortunate fellow will "be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with new and existing software developers, to promote application development, and to continue the delivery of world-class solutions and content on Apple devices."
In other words, play nice with mobile game developers so that they don't go anywhere else. Oh my, what perfect timing you have, Apple.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
YoVille: Get Promoted with More Job Titles at the Factory
Earn more coins at the YoVille Factory! New Job Titles got added to the list, and now you can be promoted to be a Senior V.P., Managing V.P., President or a CEO! As a CEO you will get 600 Coins on each factory shift!
YoVille Female CEO
To get promoted, invite your friends to be your YoVille-neighbours. As you progress, new Factory Costumes will be added to your inventory as well!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille Female CEO
To get promoted, invite your friends to be your YoVille-neighbours. As you progress, new Factory Costumes will be added to your inventory as well!
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille: Saddle Up with Horses at the new Yo Valley Ranch
YoVille Saddle Up!
YoVille Saddle Up! iconThe new store has been added to the YoVille map! The Yo Valley Ranch is located right below the YoVille Factory and is a place to buy new rideable horses! Rearing, angry, laughing or sneezing horse, pick your favourite and take it for a ride. Prices of the horses vary between 35-59 YoCash. On Facebook, look for the "Saddle Up!" icon on top right corner of the game screen to get co-signs from your friends and the Sneezing Horse in 30,000 Coins!
Check the pictures of this new feature after the link and tell us what you think in the comments!
YoVille Yo Valley Ranch
YoVille Yo Valley Ranch Riding Horses
YoVille Animal Ranch: Buy Sneezing Horse
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
YoVille Saddle Up! iconThe new store has been added to the YoVille map! The Yo Valley Ranch is located right below the YoVille Factory and is a place to buy new rideable horses! Rearing, angry, laughing or sneezing horse, pick your favourite and take it for a ride. Prices of the horses vary between 35-59 YoCash. On Facebook, look for the "Saddle Up!" icon on top right corner of the game screen to get co-signs from your friends and the Sneezing Horse in 30,000 Coins!
Check the pictures of this new feature after the link and tell us what you think in the comments!
YoVille Yo Valley Ranch
YoVille Yo Valley Ranch Riding Horses
YoVille Animal Ranch: Buy Sneezing Horse
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.
Game of the Day: Bloons Tower Defense 4
The Game of the Day is continuing with one of the best games ever....Bloons Tower Defense 4 is here. Our pals at NinjaKiwi.com games keep on pumping out the best flash games in the world. Before Bloons 2, Ninjakiwi's biggest and best game was Bloons Tower Defense 4. In BTD 4, you are tasked with defending your life against an onslaught of balloons. On your side are different types of monkeys who are there to help defend against the evil attack of balloons.
Play it now and you will love it. If you don't, there is something mildly wrong with you. (I keed!)
Click here to play Bloons Tower Defense 4
Play it now and you will love it. If you don't, there is something mildly wrong with you. (I keed!)
Click here to play Bloons Tower Defense 4
FarmVille: Fill up your Feed Trough for a free White Turkey
FarmVille White Turkey
The Animal Feed Trough is now home to a brand new bird! The White Turkey is now one of the chance animals that can be received from the Feed Trough. Just like with all the other animals, farmers can get one White Turkey for themselves and share one with neighbors!
FarmVille Feed Trough White Turkey
Have you filled up your Feed Trough to get this new bird yet?
Check out the rest of our Thanksgiving 2010 coverage right here.
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
The Animal Feed Trough is now home to a brand new bird! The White Turkey is now one of the chance animals that can be received from the Feed Trough. Just like with all the other animals, farmers can get one White Turkey for themselves and share one with neighbors!
FarmVille Feed Trough White Turkey
Have you filled up your Feed Trough to get this new bird yet?
Check out the rest of our Thanksgiving 2010 coverage right here.
This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.
Madden NFL Superstars' Daily Bonus is live, hold out for big rewards
Daily Bonus
Been lax with logging in to Madden NFL Superstars daily? Of course you haven't--it's the middle of the season--but for those who have, Playfish has added the Daily Bonus featured it teased a few days ago. Logging into the game now will display the Daily Bonus immediately after the What's New page, tempting players with increasingly better prizes. While you can cash in daily for a little extra coin, holding off will yield better rewards as cashing in will reset the bonus prize back to just 250 coins. Here's what you can win for each consecutive day of the Daily Bonus for five days:
Day One: 250 coins
Day Two: 1,000 coins
Day Three: Two Game Tickets
Day Four: 2,500 coins
Day Five: Random Card
Holding out for five days and cashing in will reward players with a random Player Card of any tier (except for Elite Cards, we imagine). However, like most daily bonus features in other social games, missing a day will reset the bonus to that of Day One. But what's unique to NFL Superstars' Daily Bonus is the ability to "Like" the game each day to add 100 coins to whichever Cash-In Bonus is available to you that day. In addition to the addition of the Daily Bonus, Stadium upgrades are 25 percent off, so enjoy beefing up your venue even faster for a short while.
Been lax with logging in to Madden NFL Superstars daily? Of course you haven't--it's the middle of the season--but for those who have, Playfish has added the Daily Bonus featured it teased a few days ago. Logging into the game now will display the Daily Bonus immediately after the What's New page, tempting players with increasingly better prizes. While you can cash in daily for a little extra coin, holding off will yield better rewards as cashing in will reset the bonus prize back to just 250 coins. Here's what you can win for each consecutive day of the Daily Bonus for five days:
Day One: 250 coins
Day Two: 1,000 coins
Day Three: Two Game Tickets
Day Four: 2,500 coins
Day Five: Random Card
Holding out for five days and cashing in will reward players with a random Player Card of any tier (except for Elite Cards, we imagine). However, like most daily bonus features in other social games, missing a day will reset the bonus to that of Day One. But what's unique to NFL Superstars' Daily Bonus is the ability to "Like" the game each day to add 100 coins to whichever Cash-In Bonus is available to you that day. In addition to the addition of the Daily Bonus, Stadium upgrades are 25 percent off, so enjoy beefing up your venue even faster for a short while.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Nancy Drew Giveaway: Win 'Warnings at Waverly Academy'
Update: This contest has ended. Head to Blog.Games.com or our Facebook fanpage for more awesome giveaways.
Unfortunately, just because the Holiday season has arrived doesn't mean we're allowed to just kick back and relax. We're back at our jobs, working long hours. Games.com The Blog aims to make things a little easier, with a good ol' free giveaway for our fans. Once again, I'm not giving away a boring T-Shirt. Instead you can enter to win a free copy of Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy for PC.
Continue reading to find out how to enter and win the free copy of Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy for PC.
"At an exclusive all-girls boarding school gossip and rumors are expected, but when threatening notes start appearing and accidents follow, it'll be up to you, as Nancy Drew, to stop this classroom criminal. Will the sinister student reach their goal, or can you make the grade and catch the "Black Cat" before the final bell rings?"
Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy for PC is jam-packed with features:
Features young sleuth Nancy Drew as she goes undercover at a top boarding school
Help Nancy discover who has been threatening the academy's valedictorian candidates
Blend in with typical high-school student behavior: text your friends, cram for projects and become familiar with social cliques
Run the school snack bar and play air hockey in the student lounge to incorporate yourself on campus
Jr. and Sr. difficulty settings offer different levels of challenge
free nancy drew warnings waverly academy giveaway
Whether you love Nancy Drew, know someone who does, or are totally new to Nancy Drew games, it doesn't change the fact that like The Phantom of Venice, Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy is a game loved by many. The best part is that even if you haven't played a Nancy Drew game before, you can still jump in and feel right at home. This is a fantastic opportunity to get into an awesome game series.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win the free copy of Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy by following the instructions below.
free nancy drew warnings waverly academy giveaway
To enter:
Step 1: Go to the Games.com Facebook fanpage: (http://www.facebook.com/gamescom).
Step 2: 'Like' the fanpage so you can see the latest Facebook game news, tips, and cheats.
Step 3: Enter the giveaway by heading to the fanpage and leave a comment telling us who your favorite detective or crime fighter is. Your choice can be from anywhere: a TV show, book, movie, even a real person. Perhaps you don't have one, then tell us about your favorite mystery; Nancy Drew isn't the only detective out there!
(Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are my favorite crime fighting detective duo. They're unmatched in awesomeness and intellect. I listen to the books on tape all the time. The absolute best has to be when in response to a remarkable Holmes deduction, Watson exclaims "MY, DEAR, HOLMES!")
After a few days, we'll randomly select a winner, message them on Facebook for their address, and send them their free Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy game. Sound easy enough?
Get started by heading to the Games.com fanpage to enter for the free Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy game.
Unfortunately, just because the Holiday season has arrived doesn't mean we're allowed to just kick back and relax. We're back at our jobs, working long hours. Games.com The Blog aims to make things a little easier, with a good ol' free giveaway for our fans. Once again, I'm not giving away a boring T-Shirt. Instead you can enter to win a free copy of Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy for PC.
Continue reading to find out how to enter and win the free copy of Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy for PC.
"At an exclusive all-girls boarding school gossip and rumors are expected, but when threatening notes start appearing and accidents follow, it'll be up to you, as Nancy Drew, to stop this classroom criminal. Will the sinister student reach their goal, or can you make the grade and catch the "Black Cat" before the final bell rings?"
Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy for PC is jam-packed with features:
Features young sleuth Nancy Drew as she goes undercover at a top boarding school
Help Nancy discover who has been threatening the academy's valedictorian candidates
Blend in with typical high-school student behavior: text your friends, cram for projects and become familiar with social cliques
Run the school snack bar and play air hockey in the student lounge to incorporate yourself on campus
Jr. and Sr. difficulty settings offer different levels of challenge
free nancy drew warnings waverly academy giveaway
Whether you love Nancy Drew, know someone who does, or are totally new to Nancy Drew games, it doesn't change the fact that like The Phantom of Venice, Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy is a game loved by many. The best part is that even if you haven't played a Nancy Drew game before, you can still jump in and feel right at home. This is a fantastic opportunity to get into an awesome game series.
So what are you waiting for? Enter to win the free copy of Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy by following the instructions below.
free nancy drew warnings waverly academy giveaway
To enter:
Step 1: Go to the Games.com Facebook fanpage: (http://www.facebook.com/gamescom).
Step 2: 'Like' the fanpage so you can see the latest Facebook game news, tips, and cheats.
Step 3: Enter the giveaway by heading to the fanpage and leave a comment telling us who your favorite detective or crime fighter is. Your choice can be from anywhere: a TV show, book, movie, even a real person. Perhaps you don't have one, then tell us about your favorite mystery; Nancy Drew isn't the only detective out there!
(Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are my favorite crime fighting detective duo. They're unmatched in awesomeness and intellect. I listen to the books on tape all the time. The absolute best has to be when in response to a remarkable Holmes deduction, Watson exclaims "MY, DEAR, HOLMES!")
After a few days, we'll randomly select a winner, message them on Facebook for their address, and send them their free Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy game. Sound easy enough?
Get started by heading to the Games.com fanpage to enter for the free Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy game.
Social City North Pole expansion comes with homey winter buildings
North Pole Expansion
It looks like the snow is coming in early for Playdom as the company just expanded the North Pole district in Social City to its max size for everyone at absolutely no cost. Though, we doubt it had much to do with snow and rather more to do with the bunch of new buildings that were added in a recent update.
To start, players can gift one another the new Snowy Log Hut, which will provide 75 citizens every six hours, for free. To accompany the log hut are a few more log buildings (and some that are extra sweet) including:
Gingerbread House 1 (9,000 coins): 100 Population every 4 hours
Gingerbread House 2 (12 City Bucks): 100 Population every 4 hours
Gingerbread House 3 (9,000 coins): 400 Population every 4 hours
Snowy Log Cabin (10,000 coins): 125 Population every 6 hours
Snowy Log Home (15,000 coins): 175 Population every 6 hours
Snowy A-Frame 1 (20,000 coins): 500 Population every 2 days
Snowy A-Frame 2 (50,000 coins): 800 Population every 2 days
Snowy A-Frame 3 (10 City Bucks): 1,200 Population every 2 days
Snowy Underhill Home 1, 2 and 3 (25,000 coins each): 250 Population every 6 hours
Snowy Underhill Home 5 (16 City Bucks): 250 Population every 6 hours
In addition to more log cabins than anyone will probably ever need, Playdom also updated the game with an interesting change. According to the forum post, Facebook users who do not play Social City will now be able to see "Likes" referring to Districts in Social City. Considering this type of publishing was shut down a little while back, we'll see how long this feature lasts. Also included in the update were new holiday-themed attractions like the Snowy Clock Tower, which will give players 42,000 Happiness and 500 coins every four hours for 39 City Bucks. Other animated items include Santa's Toy Emporium, an item that for 29 City Bucks will grant your people 32,000 Happiness and 12,000 coins every five days. A good amount of these items are limited edition, so act quick if you want your city to fit the winter look.
It looks like the snow is coming in early for Playdom as the company just expanded the North Pole district in Social City to its max size for everyone at absolutely no cost. Though, we doubt it had much to do with snow and rather more to do with the bunch of new buildings that were added in a recent update.
To start, players can gift one another the new Snowy Log Hut, which will provide 75 citizens every six hours, for free. To accompany the log hut are a few more log buildings (and some that are extra sweet) including:
Gingerbread House 1 (9,000 coins): 100 Population every 4 hours
Gingerbread House 2 (12 City Bucks): 100 Population every 4 hours
Gingerbread House 3 (9,000 coins): 400 Population every 4 hours
Snowy Log Cabin (10,000 coins): 125 Population every 6 hours
Snowy Log Home (15,000 coins): 175 Population every 6 hours
Snowy A-Frame 1 (20,000 coins): 500 Population every 2 days
Snowy A-Frame 2 (50,000 coins): 800 Population every 2 days
Snowy A-Frame 3 (10 City Bucks): 1,200 Population every 2 days
Snowy Underhill Home 1, 2 and 3 (25,000 coins each): 250 Population every 6 hours
Snowy Underhill Home 5 (16 City Bucks): 250 Population every 6 hours
In addition to more log cabins than anyone will probably ever need, Playdom also updated the game with an interesting change. According to the forum post, Facebook users who do not play Social City will now be able to see "Likes" referring to Districts in Social City. Considering this type of publishing was shut down a little while back, we'll see how long this feature lasts. Also included in the update were new holiday-themed attractions like the Snowy Clock Tower, which will give players 42,000 Happiness and 500 coins every four hours for 39 City Bucks. Other animated items include Santa's Toy Emporium, an item that for 29 City Bucks will grant your people 32,000 Happiness and 12,000 coins every five days. A good amount of these items are limited edition, so act quick if you want your city to fit the winter look.
Pet Society Advent Calendars: Be showered with brand new gifts daily
Gingerbread Christmas TreeTaking a more traditional--and decidedly more Catholic--route to Christmas, Playfish has introduced Advent Calendars to Pet Society. This new item will be more than useful for the next 24 days as it will provide you with a new gift every day until Christmas Day. There are two different calendars, the Snowman Advent Calendar and Santa Sleigh Advent Calendar, which both go for just 2,000 coins--a steal for 24 different items.
Players who buy the item will find it in their inventory like usual, but will also be greeted with a new gift in their Noticeboard every day. Today starts things strong with a Gingerbread Christmas Tree, though it's sadly not edible. Regardless, you'd be silly not to pick up this item, especially considering the amount you'll get out of it. Let's hope the gifts get even better as we slowly inch closer to the big day.
Players who buy the item will find it in their inventory like usual, but will also be greeted with a new gift in their Noticeboard every day. Today starts things strong with a Gingerbread Christmas Tree, though it's sadly not edible. Regardless, you'd be silly not to pick up this item, especially considering the amount you'll get out of it. Let's hope the gifts get even better as we slowly inch closer to the big day.
Facebook DNA: McGill University researchers turn genome into potential social game
Isn't it time our gaming habits did something productive for a change? How does contributing to genetic research sound? Well, a group of researchers from the McGill University School of Computer Science in Montreal have found a way for us to do just that with Phylo, a brand new browser game designed to boil down decoding strands of DNA, RNA and other proteins to an easily understandable matching game.
"Recognizing and sorting the patterns in the human genetic code falls in that category," lead researcher Jérôme Waldispuhl told Futurity. "Our new online game enables players to have fun while contributing to genetic research-players can even choose which genetic disease they want to help decode."
According to Futurity, many of the world's diseases are caused by defects in DNA code, an issue researchers are just beginning to crack the surface of. What seems to have been blocking researchers' way in the field are Multiple Sequence Alignments. This way of arranging DNA sequences could lead to researchers finding shared evolutionary origins, identifying functionally important sites, and illustrating mutation events. Most importantly, biologists can trace the source of certain genetic diseases through Multiple Sequence Alignments.
However, the sheer size of the genome (roughly three billion base pairs) has proven too much for even the most complex algorithms and heuristics, so McGill researchers have decided to employ us to do the computers' dirty work, picking up the pieces they might have left behind. But enough of the science behind it, let's find out how the game plays after the break.
Phylo Gameplay
Recently tested within the science community to test its accuracy, Phylo looks as impressive and engaging as puzzle games get. The production value here is top notch with soothing music, sounds and visuals. Not to mention some seriously smooth controls and animations with blocks softly bouncing into one another. The game tasks players with matching as many similarly colored blocks as possible. However, it's not that easy--you can only move blocks horizontally and there will be an uneven amount of blocks almost every time. Any gaps in the sequence or mismatched columns of blocks will deduct points from your score, yet they're unavoidable.
That said, the ultimate goal of the game is to have your successful matches outweigh the imminent failures. While that might sound like a glass-half-empty approach to gaming, it's both realistic to the cause (remember, your gameplay data contributes to their research) and the min-max, win-lose balance becomes the game itself.
Every sequence that you'll be put up against was originally put together by a computer using a complex algorithm, whose score will be your par for each level. Match or beat this par in the alloted time for each level and you'll maximize your points. While there obviously aren't any virtual goods for sale or properties to keep track of, Phylo could very well be making its way to Facebook soon. "We would like to integrate this game directly into Facebook as an application," Waldispuhl said to Futurity. "Farmville, move over!"
Click here to play Phylo right now >
"Recognizing and sorting the patterns in the human genetic code falls in that category," lead researcher Jérôme Waldispuhl told Futurity. "Our new online game enables players to have fun while contributing to genetic research-players can even choose which genetic disease they want to help decode."
According to Futurity, many of the world's diseases are caused by defects in DNA code, an issue researchers are just beginning to crack the surface of. What seems to have been blocking researchers' way in the field are Multiple Sequence Alignments. This way of arranging DNA sequences could lead to researchers finding shared evolutionary origins, identifying functionally important sites, and illustrating mutation events. Most importantly, biologists can trace the source of certain genetic diseases through Multiple Sequence Alignments.
However, the sheer size of the genome (roughly three billion base pairs) has proven too much for even the most complex algorithms and heuristics, so McGill researchers have decided to employ us to do the computers' dirty work, picking up the pieces they might have left behind. But enough of the science behind it, let's find out how the game plays after the break.
Phylo Gameplay
Recently tested within the science community to test its accuracy, Phylo looks as impressive and engaging as puzzle games get. The production value here is top notch with soothing music, sounds and visuals. Not to mention some seriously smooth controls and animations with blocks softly bouncing into one another. The game tasks players with matching as many similarly colored blocks as possible. However, it's not that easy--you can only move blocks horizontally and there will be an uneven amount of blocks almost every time. Any gaps in the sequence or mismatched columns of blocks will deduct points from your score, yet they're unavoidable.
That said, the ultimate goal of the game is to have your successful matches outweigh the imminent failures. While that might sound like a glass-half-empty approach to gaming, it's both realistic to the cause (remember, your gameplay data contributes to their research) and the min-max, win-lose balance becomes the game itself.
Every sequence that you'll be put up against was originally put together by a computer using a complex algorithm, whose score will be your par for each level. Match or beat this par in the alloted time for each level and you'll maximize your points. While there obviously aren't any virtual goods for sale or properties to keep track of, Phylo could very well be making its way to Facebook soon. "We would like to integrate this game directly into Facebook as an application," Waldispuhl said to Futurity. "Farmville, move over!"
Click here to play Phylo right now >
MyYearbook Live: Chatroulette-style video chat meets casual gaming
FarmVille and other Facebook games are generally considered 'social,' and while that is true in some regards, it doesn't exactly replicate that face-to-face experience you get when you sit down to play cards or a board games with friends and family. Today's 'social' games are social in the same way that sending a text is social -- you send each other messages and respond (or don't) at your convenience.
MyYearbook, a social network geared for young teens, has announced a new 'Live' initiative, which aims to recreate that playing-games-around-the-table feel by letting you see and talk to the people you're playing games with via live chat. Except, instead of playing a game with people you know, this service is designed to get you to play games with people you don't know (and might get to know, because, well, they're cute and/or you just played five hours of UNO online together).
"We bring together players of similar age, gender, and location to harness the natural serendipity of playing Live games," says MyYearbook CEO Geoff Cook," something familiar to anyone who has ever made a friend on the basketball court, at a card table or at a pool hall."
The video chat will work something like this: open a 'Live' enabled game, and you'll be able to select the age, gender and location of people you want to play with, and then you'll be matched with players that meet your specifications. If you don't like your proposed game mates, you can click a giant 'Next' button above the video to move onto the next person, a function borrowed from the short-lived web phenom Chatroulette.
Unlike Chatroulette, you won't be able to keep on clicking 'next' forever. You'll earn or lose karma points depending on how long you play a game, and if you lose them all, you'll be unable to play any games for a short period of time. Also unlike Chatroulette, there will be a no-tolerance policy for users who air X-rated images. Users will be able to report and block other users and MyYearbook is planning on beefing up its moderation team (from 20 to 50) to keep close watch on everyone's activities and has partnered with ThreatMetrix to keep bad users off the site. (Xbox Live offered a similar service with some casual Xbox games, and faced some of the same issues.)
Once you find a set of suitable gaming partners, you'll be able to set a wager on a game using "Lunch Money," MyYearbook's social currency which can be earned by playing games or purchased using real-life cash.
MyYearbook Live will start to roll-out in mid-December and will be integrated into a dozen or so "simple" game such as Gin Rummy, Chess, Checkers, Tic Tac Toe, and a Battleship and Connect Four clone. The social network has also partnered with OMGPop, HeyZap and Viximo to integrate their games into the service.
MyYearbook, a social network geared for young teens, has announced a new 'Live' initiative, which aims to recreate that playing-games-around-the-table feel by letting you see and talk to the people you're playing games with via live chat. Except, instead of playing a game with people you know, this service is designed to get you to play games with people you don't know (and might get to know, because, well, they're cute and/or you just played five hours of UNO online together).
"We bring together players of similar age, gender, and location to harness the natural serendipity of playing Live games," says MyYearbook CEO Geoff Cook," something familiar to anyone who has ever made a friend on the basketball court, at a card table or at a pool hall."
The video chat will work something like this: open a 'Live' enabled game, and you'll be able to select the age, gender and location of people you want to play with, and then you'll be matched with players that meet your specifications. If you don't like your proposed game mates, you can click a giant 'Next' button above the video to move onto the next person, a function borrowed from the short-lived web phenom Chatroulette.
Unlike Chatroulette, you won't be able to keep on clicking 'next' forever. You'll earn or lose karma points depending on how long you play a game, and if you lose them all, you'll be unable to play any games for a short period of time. Also unlike Chatroulette, there will be a no-tolerance policy for users who air X-rated images. Users will be able to report and block other users and MyYearbook is planning on beefing up its moderation team (from 20 to 50) to keep close watch on everyone's activities and has partnered with ThreatMetrix to keep bad users off the site. (Xbox Live offered a similar service with some casual Xbox games, and faced some of the same issues.)
Once you find a set of suitable gaming partners, you'll be able to set a wager on a game using "Lunch Money," MyYearbook's social currency which can be earned by playing games or purchased using real-life cash.
MyYearbook Live will start to roll-out in mid-December and will be integrated into a dozen or so "simple" game such as Gin Rummy, Chess, Checkers, Tic Tac Toe, and a Battleship and Connect Four clone. The social network has also partnered with OMGPop, HeyZap and Viximo to integrate their games into the service.
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