Five things you need to know about social games [GDC Online]

This year's Game Developer's Conference Online in Austin brought together 3,000 people, including game developer wannabes and industry insiders from World of Warcraft-maker Blizzard and FarmVille-maker Zynga (among others) with talks on how to make good games and some of the larger trends in online games.

gdc online 2010Social gaming (on Facebook and otherwise) played a major role in the conference, with a series of sessions devoted to the topic, which included a standout talk from FrontierVille creator Brian Reynolds (our full interview with him is coming soon), Playdom's Raph Koster and the first-ever Game Developer Choice Online Awards, where Social City was honored as the Best Social Network Game of the Year.

After sitting through a slew of panels, lectures, roundtables (and heated conversations at during a series of evening events), here's a list of five social gaming trends you can expect to see in the coming year.

1. Social gaming is not going away anytime soon

Everyone's buzzing about how FarmVille and the other top games have been losing players faster than a cat sheds its winter coat. And while that is largely true for the top 20 games on Facebook, newer games have still managed to attract players at a respectable rate. Two prime examples of this are Booyah's Nightclub City (a nightclub management sim game with music from real-life artists) and Casual Collective's Backyard Monsters (a tower defense game), and that trend is expected to continue into next year. So instead of Facebook gaming dying, it sounds more like it's changing. People are growing tired of the same old farm and pet games and are ready for the next big thing.


2. Expect social games to look better and offer more original game experiences

FarmVille and the rest of the first-generation social games haven't exactly had the best-looking graphics or most sophisticated game experiences. And that has been OK until recently. Game-wise, FrontierVille set the bar in creating a very playable social game, infusing all of that gift giving and neighbor visiting with popular game elements borrowed from Mario (yes, that Mario), Sonic, Diablo and World of Warcraft. Social games like ngmoco's We Rule and We Farm on iOS devices have set a new standard for high production values, and we expect that social game makers will be upping the ante on their creations in the near future.

3. Social gaming is going mobile (for reals this time)

It's hasn't been easy to transport social games from Facebook to iPhone, but we predict that this will be the year that mobile social gaming will have its coming out party in the US. Whether its social games companies like Zynga and Playfish figuring out how to launch games on iPhone and iOS (as well as making the leap to Android) or some dark horse mobile game maker beating Zynga to the punch -- it's clear that social games will be a must-play on mobile in the near future.

4. The debate on whether FarmVille, et al, is 'evil' or 'really a game' continues

While it seems like a no-brainer that games like FarmVille and Pet Society appeal to mostly women gamers who may also play games like Bejeweled and Mystery Case Files, this doesn't seem to be common knowledge for everyone. This was most evident in a roundtable called 'Do Social Games Suck?" where there were far too many comparisons between FarmVille and Halo or FarmVille and World of Warcraft. There was no final conclusion if these games 'suck,' but there is still a perception that FarmVille and its ilk are 'evil,' 'addictive' and are 'not really games.' The 200+ million Facebook users who play social games might disagree.

5. Big brands will flood Facebook this coming year

A few big video games brands (Madden, FIFA) made the jump to Facebook this year, with marginal success, but big brands (as in, stuff that even your grandma would know) will be headed to Facebook. You can already spin the Big Wheel in a Price is Right Facebook game, and you'll soon be able to Pass Go and Collect $200 in a Facebook Monopoly game from EA/Playfish.

Gallery: Scenes from GDC Online 2010

Zynga's CityVille could overthrow FarmVille tomorrow, reporter claims

Remember when we mentioned that CityVille was dangerously close to beating FarmVille as the top Zynga Facebook game? Well, it could happen as early as tomorrow, according to a speculative report by Social Times. If true, this could drastically change the playing field, with FarmVille living in the shadow of a far more current social game with enhanced visuals and more streamlined progression.

Social Times cites AllFacebook's recent findings that CityVille is, as of this writing, sitting at 54.7 million monthly players while FarmVille waits for what seems to be inevitable at 56.6 million. With Zynga's other games below second place trailing behind by as much as 20 and 30 million fewer players (Zynga Poker, FrontierVille and Mafia Wars, respectively), CityVille could be number one for a long time. We'll see if Zynga, and the CityVille team especially, get their early Christmas gift tomorrow.

While this news is huge, here's the next $1 million question: what new game could beat CityVille? Could the rumored sequel to Mafia Wars do the trick?

FrontierVille 12 Days of Christmas Goals: Everything you need to know for Day 10

On the Tenth Day O' Christmas
The FrontierVille advent calendar has opened yet another of its doors and inside is today's 12 Days of Christmas Goal, "On the Tenth Day O' Christmas." On a surprising note, this Goal is considerably easier than yesterday's, but only for you seasoned pioneers.

While anyone can buy, raise and sell 10 Adult Goats, which would take about 100 Energy and 1,950 coins total to do from scratch, only players who have reached and completed the Jackalope Lodge will be able to complete this Goal in a timely fashion. But do this and collect from the Lodge twice to be two steps closer to completing Day 10 of this 12-mission series. Lastly, all you need to do is buy and build the Snowman, which I imagine most of the game's dedicated have already accomplished.

But for those of you that haven't, the Snowman costs 100 coins from the Market to place. From there, you'll need to collect several items from friends to complete the Snowman after whacking it a few times. Finally, players can customize their Snowman with different arms, faces, hats and scarves. Constructing the Snowman will complete this Goal and inch you one day closer to that Partridge in a Pear Tree. No matter how you slice it, this Goal will take a few days to complete, but check out our guides for the Jackalope Lodge and Buildable Snowman for some tips on how to get those done quickly.

Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.

Have you tried or completed this Goal yet? What tips might you have to help your fellow pioneers to finish this quickly?

Earn 100 Free FrontierVille Horseshoes for buying from Pro Flowers

Flowers are crazy!
The Valentine's Day fever has caught up with FrontierVille now too? Is anyone safe? No, not really. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, because when you buy from Pro Flowers for that special lady through FrontierVille's Sponsored Link you'll earn a sweet 100 Horseshoes.

Just click on the banner ad beneath your game screen and then the big ol' green button to be redirected to Pro Flowers' website. From there, just order whatever you darn well please (but be generous, she deserves it) and allow about 30 minutes for the Horseshoes to post to your account. Now, how does it feel making both yourself and your loved one happy in a single purchase? Actually, that sounded kind of selfish--you better grab them some chocolates too.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day 2011 coverage right here.

Have you taken advantage of this offer yet? What do you plan to do for that lucky loved one this Valentine's Day?

Play social, casual games for cash in YooMee Games Arcade

Sure, you can play games like FrontierVille for Horseshoes, but how would you like to play for higher stakes? YooMee Games has launched its arcade platform of the same name where players can connect via Facebook and play adaptations of social and casual games for real cash money. Some of the launch games include established Facebook games like Bubble Town and classics like Pac Man and Frogger. All the while, the dollars just rack up, but there's a small catch.

By creating an account with Facebook Connect, you can immediately start playing games for cash through ongoing tournaments. However, you will have to make wagers to enter tournaments, which is where the prize money is drawn from. More players within a tournament means a higher cash pool, but it also means a higher chance of you losing to someone else. Wagers range from just $.50 to nearly $100, and the amount of potential gamers out there means those wagers could add up fast.

"More than fifty million people in the US are playing casual games online at least once a month, and they're spending more than $500 million per year on virtual goods and currencies," says YooMee Games CEO Prita Uppal. "YooMee is all about giving people a similar social gaming experience with the ability to win real-world cash and prizes."

Yoo Mee Games
But players don't earn cash or prizes directly. The arcade operates in a currency known simply as Gold, but it essentially represents American dollars. However, a player would have to turn in Tickets, another currency, for that cold hard cash. Tickets are earned through player wager games for Gold. Confused yet? I figured as much.

Basically, you will have to buy Gold with real cash via debit or credit before wagering it in tournaments. Then, winning high-stake tournaments will yield even more Gold and Tickets, which can be redeemed for cash and other prizes like digital cameras and iPod Touches. Sure, it all sounds like quite a gamble, but if you're the best Pac Man player you know it wouldn't hurt to give it a go.

[Source: The Next Web]

Would you be willing to bet on your Asteroids skills with the promise of real cash? Do you see this type of gaming platform taking off?

CityVille Cheats and Tips: A Characters Guide

Characters!
Zynga first introduced characters to its games with FrontierVille. Now, the game features a sprawling storyline in which characters interact with each other and you're the mediator of sorts. Naturally, the developer took the positive reception of characters on the frontier and applied that to its biggest hit yet, CityVille. The game features quite a lot of characters, most of which have become to center of your Goals in the game. Some guide your way to the coveted mayor's office every step of the way while others simply ask for favors every now and then, so this guide is to inform you of the who's who in the city.
CityVille Sam
Samantha:
The first person you'll ever meet in CityVille. Also known as CityVille Sam, this illustrious woman will teach you the basics of city building and provide you with your first Goals in the game. She's also your first neighbor in the game--just like Frontier Jack in FrontierVille. Visiting her sprawling (and infinitely better) city daily is basically free rewards, so be sure to take advantage! Not to mention her city is also the first you'll expand into with a Franchise. (Trivia: She's also the woman sitting on the ledge as the game loads.)

Conductor Charlie
Conductor Charlie:
As you might have already guessed, Charlie runs the trains in CityVille. He's the guy who will ship or send out for Goods and is ready for an order either in or our at all times of the day. (Guy doesn't catch a break, really.) He's also who guides you through the initial Railroad Goals and even has his own route to CharlieVille that produces a high amount of Goods in a short amount of time, but for a large amount of money. Use this route when you're in a pinch for Goods.

Chef Andrea
Chef Andre:
This star chef serves as the guide to create your first Business. He will guide you along the first Goals surrounding the creation and management of your Businesses. Not much is seen of him after creating the Bakery and Restaurant, but we're sure he'll be back soon enough.

Farmer Rita
Farmer Rita:
Rita lives right in your own city inside the Country Home. It's her job to make sure you're on top of your crops and that you know how to plant, harvest and use them effectively. She's also involved in the Lost Bunny Goal and a few others. Remember to collect her rent daily as she seems to drop Collection items more frequently than other properties.

Governor Phil
Governor Phil:
Another guide character, Governor Phil officiates your expansion and future election to the mayor's office. He's the fellow who guides you along the way to expanding your city boundaries, growing your population and planting a city flag. Other than that, old Phil hasn't seen much action yet in CityVille.

Edgar
Edgar:
This is the guy to go to if you want to talk business. In fact, he's the man who spurs you along to launch new Businesses like the Toy Store and Burger Joint as well as create a Franchise HQ. From there, he's here to teach players how to effectively manage and supply Franchises from the HQ. Oh, and he also makes you build him a Chateau for letting some of that business savvy rub off on you.

Paul
Paul:
The city's resident lumberjack is also a guide for several Goals including teaching you how to remove trees from your city and building him a comfy Country Home to raise his family in. (Were all these people homeless before they met you?) However, he also serves a more interesting role: He's the guy who cuts down your trees every time you select the Remove option and then click on a series of trees.

Louise
Louise:
Presumably an aspiring teacher, Louise guides along in a few Goals that all surround either education or extra-curriculars. She''s the lady to answer to when building the School and also oversees the building of the Playground and a Goal known as "School Safety."

Captain Rusty
Captain Rusty:
Of course, this guy appears after you complete the Seaport in your city. He guide you along the process of sending out ships to deliver Goods internationally through a series of Goals starting with "Captain's Trip." Other than that, he just mans the helm.

Coach Jack
Coach Jack:
This guy runs your city's baseball team and is involved in the Goals that lead you along building the Baseball Field Community Building. Because the Baseball Field is one of the more difficult to complete in the game, you won't see Coach Jack until much later in the game.

Firefighter Sue
Firefighter Sue:
If you hadn't already guessed, Sue is involved with creating the Firehouse Community and also appears much later in the game. After purchasing the Firehouse, you'll be tasked with a series of Goals involving feeding her crew of firemen and other preparations.

Dr. Sheperd
Dr. Sheperd:
This handsome (and rich) fellow appears after purchasing and building the Hospital. Again, this is another Community Building that isn't available until much later. He'll give you a series of Goals pertaining to running the joint and also has a little on crush on that teacher Louise.

Sid
Sid:
Finally, this simply name gentleman is a friend of Rita's. He'll appear once you receive a Goal from Rita to build the guy a Corner Store to run. Other than this, Sid seems to mind his own business in the Corner Store, but we hope he comes around more often in the future.

FrontierVille Great Coyote Caper Goals: Everything you need to know

Earlier today, we brought you the news that two new collections had launched in FrontierVille concerning the upcoming launch of coyotes in the game. We didn't know when coyotes would launch, but it turns out it was sooner than later, as a series of coyote missions has launched in the game this evening, called "The Great Coyote Caper." We have all of the info about this new quest set, but keep in mind that this is subject to change at any time. As of this writing, however, this is what you can expect.

Part I of this V part goal series is called "Coyote and the Hen," and it introduces us to this new varmint, which is particularly fond of chickens.

Tend 50 Chickens
Clobber One Coyote
Place Four Fences

Chickens can of course be tended for one energy per one chicken, or you can still collect the Daily Bonus on your Chicken Coop to feed all chickens at once. We can confirm that this method does count in your quest progress. As for the Coyote, you'll likely receive one if you go the "Daily Bonus" route, and you might even be able to scare it off after clobbering it just once. Your reward for finishing this quest is 75 XP. Part II of V will take quite the toll on your Wood count in the game, so I hope you have plenty to spare.

Have/Craft 8 Fire
Have 1000 Wood
Chop 20 Neighbor Trees

Fire can be crafted inside the Covered Wagon for 7 Wood and 5 Cloth each. Your rewards for this part of the mission set are 2 Powder Kegs and 150 XP.

Part III of V will require you to protect some chickens, but we're not entirely sure if you can simply remove chickens from your coop and then replace them for this to work, or if you will actually need to upgrade. This could also be a case where already upgraded and protected Chickens count, as details are still sketchy at this point. We'll make sure to let you know when we know.

Protect 10 Chickens
Clear 5 Rocks
Collect 15 Turquoise Arrowheads

Turquoise Arrowheads are a new item to the game that can be collected by asking your friends to send them to you. Meanwhile, simply clear off an area of your homestead for debris to grow, and you'll likely have enough rocks in no time. Finishing this quest rewards you with 1 Coyote Tail (a Coyote Collection item) and 100 XP.

Moving on, Part IV of V will see you sacrificing more of your poor chickens to drag out more coyotes.

Clobber 5 Coyotes
Protect 25 Chickens
Collect 10 Rabbit Steaks

Rabbit Steaks are another new item to the game, that are earned through a general wall post asking all of your neighbors to help you. You'll receive 1 Coyote Rug and 150 XP for finishing this final quest before the finale.

For the finale itself, Part V of V will see you clobbering even more coyotes, and this time goes after your Food, rather than your Wood.

Collect 3 Chicken Coop Daily Bonuses
Clobber 5 Coyotes
Have 600 Food

The Food will unfortunately be taken from you at the end of this mission, but hopefully, in the three days that you're required to wait to claim your Chicken Coop bonuses, you will have either planted enough crops, harvested enough trees, or sold enough animals (among other tasks) to make up for this required loss. Your final rewards for this quest are 300 XP, a Basket of Chicks (a new decorative item), and 5 Fireworks.

And there you have it! A somewhat lengthy, especially costly (in terms of wood anyway) quest line that will see you tackling your Homestead's new threat head-on. Will you be victorious? Only time will tell, but this is at least a good start.

Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.

What do you think of the new threat on your Homestead? Will you eradicate every coyote you see, or do you not mind losing a few chickens?

FrontierVille Plannin' the Big Day Goals: Everything you need to know

Upon completing the Love is in the Air goal series in FrontierVille, you will have been left with Fanny and Hank happily engaged and waiting to plan their big wedding. Well, tonight, the wedding comes one step closure to completion, as you're able to start actually planning for the big day by helping Fanny craft a wedding dress worthy of such an event.

There are four goals to complete while creating the dress, and the dress itself is a fairly complicated crafting project, requiring you to gather items from friends and even construct a separate dressform. To start, let's take a look at the four goals you'll need to finish:

Goal 1: The Dress

Collect one Daily Bonus from the Wedding Wagon
Purchase the Dressform from the Wedding Wagon
Have or Collect Two Thread Spools

In order to complete this goal, you'll first need to wait for Fanny to ask for your help, which should happen automatically the next time you login to the game. You'll then be able to click on the Wedding Wagon and enter the Wedding Store, where you can purchase the Dressform for 950 coins. This Dressform has two parts: one lets you craft the different pieces of the dress, while the other lets you simply sew the dress together to completion. This latter section is like the construction of a building, in that you'll need to collect new building materials from friends to complete it. We have a complete guide to completing the Dressform, along with putting together the final Wedding Dress, so make sure to check that out if you get stuck.

Meanwhile, the Thread Spools are part of the Cotton Collection, so you may already have them. Completing this first goal gives you 750 XP and one Embroidery, a special item used in crafting Fanny's Dress (we'll come back to it a bit later).

Goal 2: Decoratin'

Harvest 30 White roses
Purchase 5 Decorations from the Wedding Wagon
Collect 10 Silver Bells

You'll need to ask your friends for the Silver Bells, along with asking them to send you "Wedding Gifts" via general wall posts. These Wedding Gifts work as the Wedding Store's currency. For finishing this second goal, you'll receive 750 XP, one silk and one tulle. Again, these items go to creating the Wedding Dress itself.

Goal 3: Bridesmaids' Dresses

Customize the Wedding Dress
Collect 15 Enormous Bows
Craft Two Lacings

Enormous Bows are earned by asking your friends, while Lacings are created Sequins and Ribbon inside the Sewing Basket, found inside the Dressform. Again, for a complete look at what the Dressform does and how to use it, check out our guide. Finishing this goal gives you 750 XP, and one Oak Tree.

Goal 4: Finishing Touches

Collect 2 Daily Bonuses from the Chapel
Fulfill 5 Neighbor Wishlist Requests
Collect 10 Invitations

This particular goal isn't as difficult as it is time consuming. I'd suggest scrolling to the end of your friends' list to find those friends that may be asking for cloth, ribbon or other readily available items, rather than those that are brand new and therefore rare. For finishing this final goal, you'll receive 750 XP and a pair of Cuddling Love Birds to decorate your land.

All told, these are definitely some of the most complex goals we've seen released in the game to date, but with a little patience, perseverance and a lot of help from friends, I'm sure you'll have these two lovebirds walking down the virtual aisle in no time!

FrontierVille Fanny's Wedding Dress: Everything you need to know

While the Planning the Big Day goals in FrontierVille are complicated enough, asking you to collect items and plan a wedding for Hank and Fanny, the actual construction of Fanny's Wedding Dress is no picnic either. You'll need to complete the Planning Goals, along with ask your friends for help on most of these items just to succeed. If you have a lot of patience though, follow us along as we detail the steps necessary to send Fanny down the aisle in style.

First, you can't make a dress without a Dressform, which can be purchased from the Wedding Wagon's Wedding Shop for 950 coins. Once that's completed, you can access two separate menus. The first is that seen above, under the "Sew Dress" option. Here, you'll need to collect 15 Silk Threads, 15 White Linens, and 15 Silver Buttons by asking your friends to send them to you. The other three items: the Skirt, Bodice and Veil, are crafted within the Sewing Basket, which is the second menu available in the Dressform itself.

While trying to craft these three items, you'll find that the crafting setup is actually quite complex. That is, like Clothing and Fancy Clothing in the General Store and Cabin, you'll need to craft supplies to craft other things in a cycle - it's not just a simple one-step process. Here's a complete look at the crafting recipes that are available:

As you can see, you'll first need Lacing for the Bodice, with Lacing being crafted with Sequins and Ribbon, as just one example. These Sequins must be earned from friends, by asking them to send them to you. And so the system repeats - you'll ask your friends for ingredients to craft one item, and then use that to craft something else, until you end up with the Bodice, Skirt and Veil. Just like in the real world, planning a FrontierVille wedding isn't an easy (or quick) process, so you'll need to work extra hard to make sure you don't leave Fanny waiting at the altar!

Again, to earn items like the Tulle, Embroidery and Silk, you'll need to complete the Planning the Big Day goals, as they are earned as rewards for completing specific steps. Make sure to check out our complete guide to finishing those goals, and you'll do just fine.

Pioneer Trail Bug Report: Lost progress bug is being squashed

If you've been playing Pioneer Trail (even when it was FrontierVille) for any considerable amount of time, I'd be surprised if you hadn't suffered from a rollback issue or two, or some other form of game/fun-breaking bug. If not, you're liable to run into one now, as a widespread issue has broken out in the game, causing users to lose considerable amounts of progress on goals. This is apparently such a large issue that the majority of the game's official forums has been branded with posts and banners about the issue, but Zynga is here to let you know that help is on the way.

Specifically, we're told this by customer service:

"We have received a high number of inquiries about players losing progress in the game and seeing old missions come back. We apologize for the problem and have our developers looking at the problem now.

There's no need to submit a help ticket for this matter, as we plan on correcting this problem on our end for all affected players. We request if you are having this problem to try again in a few hours (or even later today) to see if your progress has been returned. If this problem has occurred for you, please simply click the "vote to fix" button, this will alert us that you were affected."

Essentially, what this means is that you don't need to contact Zynga Customer Support to fix this issue, as supposedly everything will be placed back to normal on Zynga's end without any input from us. That is, the "game knows" where you were when the bug first hit, and will revert you back to the proper state when the bug has been fixed. As for the time table, things aren't progressing as quickly as we would have hoped. As of yesterday morning, the issue was still being worked on by developers, but a proper fix hadn't actually been pushed out.

While you're waiting for the issue to be resolved, I'd suggest simply not playing the game (or doing anything significant, that you would be upset about having to repeat). Keep checking back with the game's official forums for updates as to the progress of the bug fix, and we'll make sure to let you know if anything significant happens between now and then.

Have you been hit by this "lost progress" bug? How far did it push you back? Let us know in the comments.