Mafia Wars Las Vegas Loot Event preps us for a Sin City takeover

UPDATED (6/25): List of items added and some images.

Mafia Wars Las Vegas expansion is still coming soon, but it looks like the game's going to prep everyone for a big Sin City takeover. The just-launched Las Vegas Loot Event works like this: Seven new loot items will drop when performing jobs or winning fights, and once they've all been collected, you'll be rewarded with the Jackpot -- a gun with 30 Attack and 54 Defense. The event will send in five days, though -- have to admit -- I'm not in any hurry to finish just to get a gun with such middling stats. Then again, if finishing this is a requirement to get into Viva Las Vegas, guess it won't hurt to do my due diligence.


UPDATE (6/29) I made a few corrections to the list of items, added how to get them and a few other tidbits.

The items are as follows: (Thanks, Lube and LBryant!)








Big Blind (Gun, Fighting loot)
52 Attack 25 Defense








Suit of Suits (Jacket, Job loot)
46 Attack 24 Defense

Viva Las Vegas (Guitar, Job loot)
27 Attack 50 Defense

Casino Guard (Bodyguard, Fighting loot)
48 Attack 28 Defense








High Roller (Truck, Job loot)
46 Attack 23 Defense

Stage Show Tiger (Animal, Fighting loot)
28 Attack 50 Defense

Royal Flush (Gun, Job loot)
48 Attack, 25 Defense

Find all of these 7 items and you'll receive:

Jackpot
30 Attack 54 Defense


So far, most of these items have dropped while doing jobs in Cuba and New York. The loot was easy to come by at first, but it has grown more difficult over the past few days. I've now taken to finding the rest by fighting and doing the Mugging job (which only require 2 Energy) in New York.

Pet Society: Cool Pics June 25

pet society cool pics
We wish we could get away to a tropical paradise like Mina's Pet Society pet! The daytime and sunset scenes look like they could be from Tahiti, or perhaps Cape Town, SA, site of the FIFA World Cup. These vacation scenes are a snap to make. Just take a beach wallpaper (1000 coins at the DIY Shop) and a beach floor (300 coins) and voilà, you'll have an instant beach, complete with palm trees, a small white hut and palm trees and islands in the horizon. (The larger Tiki huts and bars are separate.)

Notice that the Tiki Statue jumps and dances. To get your own statue, head to the Garden store, where they cost 1500 coins.
pet society cool pics
This amazing image comes from Tracy, whose pet looks like she went to Sea World. These are special charity items, from which Playfish donates 10 percent of the proceeds to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Finally, Dani C. writes in to say that she thought it was sweet when the Romantic Ice Sculpture sent to her by her husband turned out to be a pair of love swans. But then she got a second surprise when she turned down the lights and saw them glow. This is "A+ work from the Playfish artists," she says.
pet society cool pics
This article originally appeared on Pet Society Anonymous.

Chocolatier: Sweet Society gets real with actual chocolates at Casual Connect

PlayFirst Chocolates
To promote Chocolatier: Sweet Society, a Facebook game where players can run their own chocolate shop and factory, PlayFirst gave out real free chocolates at the Casual Connect conference in Seattle last week. All photos come from PlayFirst's official blog.

As far as Facebook game promotions go, it's not as noteworthy as FarmVille's Californian mall petting zoo, it's certainly a sweet touch. PlayFirst says they've lots of chocolates leftover from that week. Maybe they can send some out to their budding fanbase... nudge, nudge, wink, wink? Cause I'd love some! :)
PlayFirst Chocolatier Sweet Society: Real Chocolate Piece
Tons of PlayFirst Chocolates

FarmVille: New HUD makes it easier to gift active farmers

In tonight's release, FarmVille has rolled out a new HUD (heads up display) icon on the left-hand side of the screen that helps you keep track of which friends have played recently. If you click on the icon, you will then get a pop-up that will let you send a gift to friends who've been active on their farms. Might not seem like a big deal at first, but it's actually a big improvement if you want to send gifts to neighbors who are most active in the game. Happy gifting, farmers!

farmville hud

What do you think of the new HUD?

FarmVille goes New England coastal with Crab Shack, Antique Store

Want to escape to the New England coast? FarmVille's making it happen with a series of new limited edition items which includes a Crab Shack (350,000 coins) and Antique Shop (42 Farm Cash, or roughly $8). Both of these buildings will be around for the next 11 days only. These two structures look so New England-y that we can almost taste the crab and smell the ocean in the air.

   

If you have images of either of these new limited edition buildings, send them to me at libe@games.com, and they may be featured here!

FarmVille crafting building gone missing? Try this

Can't locate your FarmVille crafting building? The many people who seem to be having that problem are now getting a helping hand. After last night's update, when you buy a crafted good or claim one from a friend's feed -- you will get a pop-up that will ask you if you want to place your building. Click yes, and then take a break from farming to kick off your crafting career. Remember: the more crafts you make, the more precious fuel you'll be able to collect.

FarmVille Limited Edition Hollyhocks Crop

farmville hollyhock
There is a new FarmVille limited edition New England themed Hollyhock crop for you to plant on your farm!
farmville hollyhock
farmville hollyhock
Hollyhocks will be available to level 39 farmers and above, the seeds can be purchased for 210 coins, take 18 hours to grow and yield 350 coins and 2 XP, with a profit of 125 coins after you subtract the 15 coin plowing cost.

There is limited Crop Mastery available for Hollyhocks. Crop Mastery will be available until August 12, 2010.

HollyHock Crop Mastery Levels:

    Star Level 1: 500
    Star Level 2: 1500
    Star Level 3: 3,000

    Hollyhocks are "biennial or short-lived perennial plants growing to 3.5 m tall, with broad, rounded, palmately lobed leaves and numerous flowers, pink or yellow in the wild species," they are very drought resistant and although live for a short time they will produce many descendants. (Source: Wikipedia)

This article originally appeared on FarmVille Freak.

Will you grow Hollyhocks on your farm?