Mafia Wars in Facebook: November 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Mafia Wars Raid the Docks Reward

As part of Big Apple Week, there is a new limited job - Raid the Docks. It works much like Rob the Candy Truck job did. The XP:Energy ratio is 2, and you can only do the job once every so often. The amount of energy the job costs seems to be completely random. On an account of mine at ~600 energy, it cost me 60 energy, on my account that is in the 1200s it cost me 100 energy. However, on a third account (I know, lol) where I have 5000+ energy it only costs me 60 energy.

However, a few things are different. First off, the rewards are much better - you get 15-30 untraceable cell phones the first time you do the job (I am assuming this changes each time you do the job).

Another thing is, the amount of job mastery and items you get depends on how much energy the job cost. On my high level account, I spent 100 energy and got 25% job mastery and 30 cell phones. On my lower level account, I spent 60 energy but only got 15 cell phones and 15% job mastery.

Cooldown

If you spent 100 energy on the job, you have to wait 24 hours to do it again. If you spent 60 energy on the job, you only have to wait 8 hours.

Steps: Note in the picture above it says "Step 1". If you do this job once (at 25% mastery) or twice (at 15% mastery), this changes to "Step 2".

For step one, you get untraceable cell phones.

For step two, you get computer set-ups.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Mafia Wars Moscow Episodes 3 & 4

On Thursday, October 8, Mafia Wars Moscow will get a little bit bigger with the launch of two new add-ons: Episode 3: Bragadir and Episode 4: Avtoritet.

In Episodes 1 and 2, which were initially released with the Mafia Wars Moscow expansion -- you took up smuggling and drug running (depending on which Russian mafia faction you joined), now it's time to move on to more high-profile operations.

In Episode 3, you'll take on the Moscow Financial System, pulling off a heist of the RossijaBanc Central Repository. Then you'll work your way toward this episode's boss -- bank president Gregor Belikov. Let's just assume there's not going to be a bail-out package for this banking fat cat (see image below). Two new loot items in this episode include the Taiga Combat Shotgun and the Ex-KGB bodyguard.

Episode 4 will take you deep into the Russian military where you'll work with the Vory or the Mafiya to take down the corrupt General Osipov. Use your mafia members and major firepower to defeat the General and his commanders. New items in this episode include the Orel Armored Helicopter and the Razoritel Grenade Launcher.

Article by zynga blog

Mafia Wars Guide - More Moscow

So, there are a few more ~~changes~~ nerfs to Mafia Wars Moscow that came out today. First of all, if you click this link, you can get a good chunk of rubles for free (based on level).

Also, it is confirmed that all Moscow businesses are unlocked at any level. Combined with the extra 10,000,000+ rubles everyone gets, I believe the thought is that if they can give out free rubles, people can buy the businesses and eventually get around to finishing the Moscow content.

Additionally, jobs pay out around ~15% more. Definitely steps in the right direction, but I still think most players will not be finished by the holidays, so I expect to see another nerf to this content soon.

Thoughts on the "Retuning"

I think the problem right now is that a character's capacity to complete jobs does not really scale. With each passing level, the amount of experience points you need to get to hit the following level increases. Even if you put all your points into energy, you can not keep up with this increase once you reach a certain level. As a result, after you reach a certain level, somewhere around 250-300, your capacity to complete jobs actually goes down.

Compare that with the way content is going. Moscow is significantly harder than both New York and Cuba put together, yet by the time most players reach Moscow, leveling up is not so easy. I think the only real solution here, rather than to nerf Moscow content into the ground, is that our characters in game need some sort of viable energy progression. The private island, helicopter, and golden throne made sense to me. As I completed the final content, my character was able to do more jobs, as it should be.

Fast forward to Moscow. Jobs cost literally 2-3x as much as jobs in previous cities, but now as we level up, it becomes harder and harder to do so again. So the content is getting harder while the capacity to level up (and as a result, do jobs) is getting worse.

This problem will only continue to grow unless the developers produce methods for increasing energy regeneration (like another golden throne / helicopter type item) for mastering jobs.

Mafia Wars Money Laundering & Collection

A new feature for Mafia Wars was added sometime last night called money laundering. When you do a job, you have a random chance to hit the "mother lode" and get extra money. However, you will need help to launder this money, which is where your fellow mafia members come in.

Once you hit the mother load, you can then ask your friends to help you out. I am assuming that once 10 people help you out (like the other jobs), you will be able to collect the bonus pay (will confirm or deny soon).

In addition to Money Laundering, a new collection was added then pulled down - the Money Laundering Collection:

It includes the following pieces: Money Iron, Dirty Laundry, Dryer Sheets, Money Line, Roll of Quarters, Death by Detergent, Dirty Bra. The bonus for vaulting the collection is rumored to be +10% extra money from laundering, but that is still up in the air for now, as the collection was pulled shortly after it was put up.

The only thing is right now the collection has been pulled down so it does not show up in your inventory. You still keep the items though - as if you use a 3rd party tool you can gift them.

Big Apple Week

Double mastery and double loot in New York, starting this weekend and running through the 22nd. Last time they had a double mastery day, I took an account through New York in less than 3 hours, so this would be as good a time as any if you were looking for a new account. Will keep an eye on it.

On that topic, I'm looking to potentially release Mafia Wars Guide v2 this weekend! Stay tuned for more updates, and I will update this post as more information comes out on money laundering.

Mafia Wars Limited Time Job; Strategy Guide

As part of Big Apple Week, there is a new limited job - Raid the Docks. It works much like Rob the Candy Truck job did. The XP:Energy ratio is 2, and you can only do the job once every so often. The amount of energy the job costs depends on either your level or energy pool. On an account of mine at ~600 energy, it cost me 60 energy, on my account that is in the 1200s it cost me 100 energy.

Stealth Change

Now you have to wait 24 hours instead of just 8.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

FarmVille Cranberries, Pattypan Squash, and Acorn Squash; Strategy

Three new crops were added to FarmVille tonight; Cranberries, Pattypan Squash, and Acorn Squash.

Cranberries:
Sell for 98 coins
Cost 55 coins
Gives 1 XP for planting
Harvest in 10 hours

Pattypan Squash:
Sell for 160 coins
Cost 65 coins
Gives 1 XP for planting
Harvest in 16 hours

Acorn Squash:
Cost 175 +15 plowing
Profit 258
Harvest 10 hours
Gives 1 XP for planting
6.8 Coins Per Hour

Thoughts:

Cranberries cost too much. They cost 55 to plant plus 15 to plow the field and only pay out 96 coins. This is equivalent to 2.6 coins per hour. Acorn Squash is okay as well, but blueberries & blackberries pay out more experience points, while peas and asparagus pay more coins per hour.

Other Updates:

Now you can ask your friends to fertilize your crops:

Prepare to be spammed!

add and invite part 18

add and invite part 19

Here is my links :

Consigliere "★★Grunge★★ [MWI]", level 212 Mogul

mafia 2615

add friends : http://www.facebook.com/addfriend.php?id=1258024622

join my mafia : http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=1258024622

And below is link from our member that will gladly receive you as their family :

Scott N. Elliott
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/addfriend.php?id=scott.n.elliott
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=1435966362

Kirk B Optebeke
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/addfriend.php?id=1791821340
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Lauren Maloney
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/addfriend.php?id=668549634
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Victoria Gagel
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/addfriend.php?id=80000094
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Clive Lawless
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/clive.lawless
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Nicholas Elias Kemp
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/nicholas.kemp1
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Dwaynne Savio Demello
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=551482412
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

David D'Angelantonio
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1533161873
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Laura Inglis
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/LaraBobs
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

Junard Torres Oclarit
Add me: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1471355159
Join My Mafia: http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=

add and invite part 20

add and invite part 21

Here is my links :

Consigliere "★★Grunge★★ [MWI]", level 212 Mogul

mafia 2615

add friends : http://www.facebook.com/addfriend.php?id=1258024622

join my mafia : http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=1258024622

And below is link from our member that will gladly receive you as their family :

Peter Metzz Taylor
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/profile.php?id=1537155088&ref=name
RECRUIT LINK http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=1537155088

John Oquendo
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000166917145
RECRUIT LINK http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=1537155088

FarmVille Update: UFO Invasion, BOVINE-09, Crop Circles, and more!

Late last night, a new update came out for the popular Facebook game, FarmVille. The theme of the new update is a "UFO-Invasion" and it will only last 5 days (Thanksgiving is coming up, so I am sure we will see a bigger update then).

Right now, the most curious item I have noticed is the BOVINE-09 (spelled B0V1NE with a zero and one in game). This is a space-cow that you can put on your farm for 2,400 coins.

You can harvest "milktonium" from these each day. I am not sure how much space milktonium is worth, but it appears that you can put BOVINE-09 in dairy farms, and there is no limit to the number you can buy.

If the milk from these space cows is worth anything, it might be a good idea to stock up on these cows.

In addition to cows, there are 9 new decorations you can grab for your farm. You can get a ROS-1947, which is a spaceship crashed into the dirt, and various types of crop circles:

Two free gifts were also added to the game as well, the Red Gazing Ball and a Bird Bath:

I doubt the red gazing ball will become a permanent free gift, so if you want one, grab one. The graphic is kind of lame though. It reminds me of the orbs in Final Fantasy. However, I bet someone could make it look nice in photoshop effects(check the halloween photoshopped farm).

With that said, how about some storage? With the rate these limited time decorations and items are turning out, my farm is full. And without storage, its only going to get worse; there will be a Thanksgiving Event, a Christmas event, a Valentine's day event, so on and so forth. It would be nice to have a storage bin that could fit whatever collectibles I was not using at the time.