Happy Halloween – Ghosts, Goblins, and LOOT!
Oct/093
Happy Halloween to all of you! Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year and has been since I was just a little mobling. It is the time of year where the kids get all dressed up and invade our neighborhoods. I have always loved handing out candy and playing trick on them. This year to keep in the Mafia Wars spirit I bought candy guns and am offering them to the neighborhood kids.
Zynga seems to like holidays too and Halloween is no exception. Every holiday we get new and fun loot items to collect and give away. This year we can send our mafia and those on our friends list a Ghost Thug, The Scooby-Do Mystery van, and a Teat Bag.
In other happenings for Halloween we have been given a special Limited Time Job
Rob A Candy Truck
Experience: Varies
Energy Cost: Varies
Completion of the job awards the following:
Treat Bag - 18 Attack / 15 Defense
All in all not too bad of an item, believe me there are worse items that come out of crates that you have to pay Godfather points for. The only catch to this job is that it can only be done once per day but each completion award 75% job mastery
Of course you can also get your hands on some pretty decent items just by doing jobs during the Halloween event. Here is a list.
Weapons
Bloody Poker Chips – 22 Attack / 10 Defense
Fake Vampire Teeth – 34 Attack / 15 Defense
Laser Squirrel – 43 Attack / 12 Defense
Armor
YoZombie – 21 Attack / 18 Defense
Monkey Brain Stew – 2 Attack / 27 Defense
Vehicles
Kraken – 24 Attack / 41 Defense
Looney Plague Cow – 25 Attack / 15 Defense
Dead End – 32 Attack / 20 Defense
I always look forward to holiday game events. Online Massively Multiplayer Games have always had some pretty interesting things from the events back in Everquest (which usually got me killed repeatedly) to the events that Blizzard holds in World of Warcraft. I am glad that Zynga has added holiday fun to Social Network Games as well.
Tomorrow is Halloween so be sure to stock up on goodies for all of the little goblins, ghost, pirates, etc that will be invading your neighborhood and if you are out driving be sure to keep your eyes open for them as well.
How To Start A Mafia Wars Clan
Oct/095
One of our blog readers asked how to start a clan in Mafia Wars and I thought that others may have the same question so I decided to post an article about how to do it.
First let me say that the way that I would go about creating a clan is not the only way that it can be done but it makes the most sense to me, and I will try to take you step by step through the way I would go about creating one.
1.) Clan Name
The first thing that I would do is come up with a clan name. The name can be pretty much anything that you want it to be. I have come across funny names, names with references to movie or TV based organizations, serious names and more. The only recommendation that I have is to keep your name clean and avoid vulgarity.
Before deciding on the name you may want to make sure that it is not already taken by doing some online research. Sure there is no real law that says you cannot have the same name as another clan but why would you want to?
2.) Develop Clan Symbol
Come up with the symbol that you are going to require members to wear as a prefix on their name. This bit puzzles me a bit. First of all Mafia Wars is about the mafia and how many real world mobsters do you know that advertise that they are part of a mafia? Why then would you want to do it in Mafia Wars other than to let people know who is attacking them?
If I am working the hitlist and want to be the most feared hit man in the entire game I would not wear any kind of identifying mark at all. What is more disconcerting a player with “Hitman INC” in their name which everyone knows who they are and what they are trying to do, or the player who comes out of nowhere does the hit and just as quickly disappears back into nowhere?
I know that Mafia Wars is a game that does not lend itself very well to cloak and dagger mysterious organizations but we can always hope.
3.) Rules Set
You will need to develop a rules set that you expect all members to follow. This might be simply requiring every member to spend Godfather points to put you clan symbol in front of their name. The rules set can also be much more complicated and set down restrictions on who players can attack, who they cannot attack, etc. The rule set can be as complicated as you like. Personally I would keep it simple.
4.) Recruiting Members
There is no clan without members so you are going to have to recruit. The easiest way to do this is probably by starting a group on facebook or the Social Network that you play on. You can set the group to be by invitation only and start out by inviting members of your own mafia.
From these chosen members you will pick a group of officers. Go easy on the amount of officers that you choose because they really do not have any duties so you do not need a large amount.
You can increase the size of the clan by allowing your current members to choose members of their own mafia and have them contact you or one of your officers for group approval. Since there are millions of players playing Mafia Wars this can become a snowball effect and your clan can become truly huge.
Setting up a clan in Mafia Wars is really pretty easy. All that you have to do is decide on a name, symbol, rules set, and start recruiting. Pick a few members to designate as officers and grow your clan from the ranks of your member’s mafia lists.
I hope that this answers any questions that you might have.
Top Mafia Spots – Leveling Tip
Oct/093
If you have purchased a copy of the Ultimate Mafia Wars Leveling guide you already know that getting your character into the top mafia of other players is very important in the leveling scheme.
There are a couple of ways that you can ensure that you get the best bonuses by being in the top mafia of other players.
The first is probably the easiest. All you have to do is create two more facebook (or any social network you are on) accounts add them to your main characters mafia and then place your main character in the appropriate spots on each of their top mafias. Yes this is the easiest way and probably the smartest way to go if you want to level in a hurry but for me it is the least satisfying.
The other way to get into the top mafia of your mafia members is through work. Once you have gained level 299 you give top bonuses on Wheelman, Buttonman, and Bagman along with the 49,999 or more fights for bodyguard, jobs for mastermind, or heists for safecracker you will find yourself on the top mafia of quite a few players. Of course the positions that you can actually fill are based on your character class.
The only spot that you should have trouble filling regardless of class or level is safecracker since robbing (heists) seems to have gone on hiatus for awhile. If you can find someone with 49,999 or more heists you better hold on to them since it seems they will be extinct unless Zynga puts robbing back into the game.
Once you have reached the milestones listed above and can be fairly positive that you are on the top mafia of other players you can take your main character off of the top mafia of your secondary accounts so they are cleared up for the next character that you want to level.
Remember one of the most important secrets to leveling is getting your character into the proper spots on someone else’s top mafia. You can do this with alternate characters of your own until you have attained the proper level, number of jobs, fights won, and number of heists (good luck on that) to be a solid member of the top mafia for others.
I hope that this tip has helped you and I will see you in the shadows.
Moscow Episode 1 – 4 Collections Guide
Oct/0910
When Zynga delivered Mafia Wars Moscow to us not so long ago along with it came the inevitable collections. Collections are nice in that they give bonuses to a number of stats that help increase the enjoyment of the game. More energy, stamina, attack, and Defense is always a good thing.
Not long ago the concept of “re-vaulting” was introduced as well. Re-vaulting enables players to have a use to the mountain of collections items that are amassed simply by playing the game. Instead of sitting on 500 or more ace of clubs they can now be used to give one time use bonuses.
Moscow provides some interesting collections for players to gather and use including prison tattoos, matryoshka dolls, Russian leader medals, and vodka drinks. Take a look at the collections below and you will be up to speed on the Moscow offering as it stands at this time.
Baklany Episode – Prison Tattoos
Vault Bonus: 6 Defense
Boost (Re-Vaulting): Temporary Tattoo – (+42 Fight Defense skill)
Items In Collection
- Rose Tattoo
- Church Tattoo
- Star Tattoo
- Spider Tattoo
- Tiger Tattoo
- Skull Tattoo
- Crucifix Tattoo
Boets Episode – Matryoshka Dolls
Vault Bonus: 7 Energy
Boost (Re-Vaulting): Hidden Matryoshka – (-20 job energy cost)
Items In Collection
- Natalya’s Doll
- Olga’s Doll
- Oksana’s Doll
- Svetlana’s Doll
- Tatyana’s Doll
- Anastasiya’s Doll
- Ekaterina’s Doll
Brigadir Episode – Russian Leaders Collection
Vault Bonus: 4 Attack
Boost (Re-Vaulting): Political Favor (+60 robbing defense skill)
Items In Collection
- Medal of Gorbachev
- Medal of Yeltsin
- Medal of Brezhnev
- Medal of Kruschev
- Medal of Putin
- Medal of Stalin
- Medal of Lenin
Avoritet Episode – Vodka Drinks Collection
Vault Bonus: 4 Stamina
Boost (Re-Vaulting): Liquid Courage (+44 attack skill)
Items In Collection
- Cosmopolitan
- Screwdriver
- Sex on the Beach
- Bloody Mary
- Black Russian
- White Russian
- Soviet
Thus far only four episodes have been revealed for Mafia Wars Moscow and there are at least two more to go so visit this blog often for updated Moscow collection information.
With other Mafia Wars locations in the works there is no doubt that collection will continue to be part of the game.
Hitlist Hi-Jinx For Experience And Fun
Oct/093
Mafia Wars is one of the best, if not the best Social Network game out at the moment appealing to players who want to quietly go about their business leveling by doing jobs and those who want to level through fighting.
I have characters of both types but I think that my fighting characters are much more fun. On these characters I do jobs but spend the vast majority of my time fighting and working the hitlist and I am going to tell you exactly what I do and how you can love it as well. If you follow these instructions you will find that you will start enjoying the hitlist as much as I do.
Set Up
1.) Make sure that your mafia is at least at the 501 member maximum.
2.) Use the gifting methods that I teach in The Ultimate Mafia Wars Leveling Guide to ensure that you have 501 of the top defensive items.
3.) Change your title to a lower one. Lower titles attract lower level hit men.
4.) Have your buddies put you on the hitlist repeatedly, or do it with another of your characters.
Once you have the set up listed above you are ready to start working the defensive hitlist. The object is to get your character put on the hitlist and fight defensive battles, save offensive fighting for another character.
When your character is put on the hitlist make sure that the amount that is set is toward the lower end of the spectrum. A lower bounty has two effects that benefit your defensive concept.
First the lower bounty will eliminate all but the most bored heavy hitters since most of the big guns go for the most cash. This will help keep you alive longer.
Second the lower bounty will attract newer and less experienced players who are looking to make a quick buck. Your 501 mafia members and 501 of decent defensive items should chew them up pretty quick.
This strategy is great for the type of player who likes to play the game for longer periods of time each day simply because working the hitlist demands that you keep yourself healed.
The best advice I can give is to use the hospital button to refresh your screen so you keep an accurate view on your health but only heal yourself when necessary.
Of course this method is not fool proof. You will die on the hitlist…and that is a fact. Occasionally one of the big guns will get bored and squash you like a bug but in the long run you will earn some good experience and cash.
Working the hitlist is a method requires that you are at your computer to work and is NOT a fire and forget strategy. Beef your character up with 501 mafia and 501 of the best defensive items before you attempt this. Use the hospital button to refresh but heal only when necessary. If you follow this strategy you WILL die but the rewards are worth it.
How to Maximize Leveling by Minimizing Repetitive Tasks
Oct/093
When you are concentrating on leveling a new character in Mafia Wars or even an old one the key to success is time management. You want every second that you spend playing to pay off through earning experience and leveling. Today I am going to revisit an old topic to help you do just that.
Mafia Wars automation is a topic that I have posted on before but I think that from time to time it deserves to be revisited. The faster that you can do the mundane tasks associated with the game the faster you will level and thus squeeze every drop of experience out of you play time.
One of the best things that you can do to cut down on the repetitive and time consuming tasks that slow you down is to use Mafia Wars bookmarklets. Bookmarklets are small pieces of code that have been created for ease of use and to automate aspects of the game to make them much easier for us as players.
All that you have to do to use most bookmarklets is simply drag them from the page that they are on and drop them onto the bookmark bar or right click and choose add to favorites. Below we will discuss some very helpful bookmarklets and where you can find them.
Spockholm’s Mafia Wars Bookmarklets
http://www.spockholm.com/mafia/bookmarklets.php
Repeat Gift – Getting gifts is one of the easiest ways to equip a brand new character in the least amount of time. If you are following or have followed my Ultimate Mafia Wars Leveling Guide you already know this but I am going to let this secret out for everyone.
When you start a new character you can use one of your more established characters to supply the new one with all the things that they need such as 501 Armored State Cars, Canonazo, and Track Loaders. While the easiest way is gifting these items who wants to click “send gift” thousands of times. If you use the Repeat Gift bookmarklet you wont have to.
ExpEnergy – This bookmarklet is essential if you want to wring every ounce of experience out of your energy pool. It displays the experience versus energy ratio of each job allowing you to maximize energy output and should be in the arsenal of any Mafia Wars player who is even thinking about speed leveling.
LimitedLoot - Make buying limited loot on your Mafia Wars home page easy. Tell this bookmarklet how many you want to buy and it will go to work for you.
AttackX – This is a super utility for those who love to fight. The bookmarklet asks how many attacks you want to make and already has your available stamina filled in but of course you can dictate how much or how little to use. Important information such as experience gained, money gained and more are displayed during your attack spree.
RobX – I know that at the moment robbing seems to be up in the air but if it is reinstated this bookmarklet allows you to continue to rob and works much like AttackX above.
RepeatJob – Hooray no more clicking on those jobs that you must do hundreds of times to get consumable items. This bookmarklet will continue doing the specified job until you are out of energy.
This is just a partial list of the bookmarklets that are available. There are many more that automate everything from purchasing Mafia Mike’s to adding members to your mafia. More can be found on the following pages.
Bobby Heartrates’s Mafia Tools – http://www.heartrate.se/
Vern’s Mafia Wars Tools – http://www.vern.com/mwtools/
The key to power leveling in Mafia Wars is getting the most experience out of every second that you play. Mundane everyday tasks such as gifting, job grinding, adding mafia members, and more not only slow down your advancement, they are boring. Use bookmarklets to automate gaming experience to maximize leveling ability and avoid boredom.
Russian Criminal Tattoos are Not Just a Collection in Mafia Wars
Oct/094
Tattoos are more than just body art to the Russians. They are a complicated language that is used in the criminal underworld and in the prison system and can symbolize many things. Some are given to symbolize rank and accomplishments within a criminal organization while others are given in prison and are symbols of rebellion, anarchy, and belief.
When a prisoner enters the Gulag or prison system their tattoos tell their history and where they fit in within the complicated rank system. For those who are initiated and understand the hidden language the entire life accomplishments of an individual may be learned without every asking a question.
In Mafia Wars tattoos are just a collection in the Moscow Expansion but in the real world of the Russian criminal they are a language of their own. Here you will find the meanings of both the tattoos that are used in the game for a collection and a few others of note.
Mafia Wars Moscow Collection Tattoos
Rose Tattoo
The rose is the initiation tattoo that is given when a person joins the gang and is usually placed on the chest.
Church Tattoo
This type of tattoo is most often found on the chest or back and may not only be a church. Other structures such as monasteries, castles, cathedrals, and fortresses also share the same meaning. This tattoo is used to show the number of times that the wearer has been imprisoned. The number of towers or spires represents either the number of years that the wearer has been imprisoned or the number of times.
Star Tattoo
Stars can be found usually on the shoulders or knees of a criminal. Stars that appear on the shoulders symbolizes the dignity of the person wearing them and that they live by the code and tradition. On the knees stars on the knees are usually awarded when a member attains the rank of Capitan and symbolize that the owner will never be brought to their knees or kneel to anyone. Each point on the star represents a year in prison.
Spider Tattoo
This tattoo can have two meanings. A spider within a web can signify drug addiction. The spider can also denote that the wearer is a thief. There is also meaning within meaning, for instance a thief who wears a spider climbing up is still active while those who wear it facing backward or moving down either intends to or has already given up the life of a thief.
Tiger Tattoo
The tiger signifies aggression toward police and other authorities.
Skull Tattoo
A criminal wearing a skull alone or incorporated into shoulder epaulets is a known murderer.
Crucifix Tattoo
The crucifix tattoo is most often found on the chest of the wearer and is a symbol that shows all who understand the complex tattoo language of the Russian prison system that the wearer is a thief. The tattoo is highly honored and respected since it symbolizes the “King of Thieves”.
Other Russian Prisoner Tattoos
Barbed Wire
Barbed wire worn across the forehead signifies that the wearer has a life sentence.
Finger Tattoos
Most Russian criminals wear tattoos on their fingers. Usually the name of the wearer is spelled out in Cyrillic characters, but other symbols are also used.
Epaulets
Epaulets are tattoos that cover the shoulder of the wearer and most often symbolize accomplishments outside of the law. Accomplishments may include skulls, fighting in the Russian Revolution, status before incarceration, SS insignia, and many others.
Cats
The cat is a representation of a past life as a thief. One cat demonstrates that the wearer acted alone while several indicate that the wearer was a member of a gang of thieves. The head of a tomcat is a good luck symbol. Cats can also symbolize that one should not provoke the wearer.
Birds Flying on the Horizon
This tattoo means simply “I was born free and should be free.”
Russian tattoos serve the purpose of allowing all to know the history and attitudes of the wearer. They are painfully applied using ink concocted of urine, shampoo, and soot. Soot is often obtained by burning a boot heel. Infections are very common and death is not unheard of.
Mafia Wars Moscow – Mafiya or Vory v Zakone?
Oct/092
Moscow is the latest expansion from Zynga for their hit social network game, Mafia Wars. After reaching level 70 players are given access and discover rather quickly that they must make a choice between two rival factions that are in control of the area.
The choice that must be made is between joining the modern Russian Mafiya or the more traditional vory v zakone. The big question that all players seem to have is which faction is better? This is a question that Zynga is very little help on since there really is not any detailed information about either. After reading this article you will be a bit more informed and will be able to use the knowledge to make a more informed choice.
Many people have said that it makes no difference which faction you choose however there are differences between them. Once forced to choose a side players discover that many things are different. Rewards, loot, and experience vs. energy ratio are the important things.
Episode 1
In the first episode there really is no difference in choosing mafiya or vory. The attack and defense of special loot for completing the episode are so close that it does not matter. The only advantage that we see is that the mafiya has a slightly better cash payout and experience to energy ratio.
Special loot:
Vory – Vehicle
Mafiya – Weapon
Episode 2
This episode is much the same as the first one. The Mafia enjoys a slight advantage experience, energy, and cash earned while the vory have an advantage in lower job requirements. Mafia are required to purchase a $3.2 million Davina while the vory only need a concealable camera.
Special loot:
Vory – Vehicle
Mafiya – Weapon
Episode 3
Again a very close episode in the form of special loot and the cash payout is very close as well. Once again the mafiya enjoys a slight advantage in experience and energy; however the gap in job requirements is getting larger in favor of the vory.
Special loot:
Vory – Weapon
Mafiya – Vehicle
Choosing a faction with little information made available by the game developer is difficult but while we have not broken down every episode in Mafia Wars Moscow it seems that both sides are very close in most aspects and that should continue throughout the episodes.
Mafiya seem to have a slight advantage in experience/energy ratio, as well as cash paid for jobs completed while the vory have a distinct advantage in the cost of required items for jobs.
With the two factions being so close in many areas it comes down to the fact that there really seems to be no difference in the two in the long run. Our advice is to read the posts that we have made on each faction and decide which you fit into. Are you a traditional type of player who values a code or do you favor a more western approach to your criminal activities?
The Rise of Vory V Zakone
Oct/095
Mafia Wars Moscow is the new expansion from Zynga and is one of the hottest new releases in the gaming industry. While gaming on social networks may not receive the massive publicity and attention that MMO (Massively Multi-Player Online) games benefit from, they are none the less one of the most popular types of games in the world today.
The Moscow expansion presents the player with access to Russia but forces them to choose sides between the Russian Mafiya and the Vory V Zakone. I was always taught to make an informed choice and I am passing that on to you by offering a bit of detail on each group. Yesterday we learned about the Mafiya and today I will give you some background on the Vory V Zakone.
Vory V Zakone translates into “Thieves in Law”, an organization that is arguably the elite of the Russian organized crime world.
There have been criminals in areas of Russia and the former USSR for centuries, but during the Russian Revolution of 1917 these criminal elements became more powerful and were known collectively as vorovskoy mir or “thieves’ world”.
After the revolution of 1917 the Soviet Union was brought back into order and the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs or NKVD nearly brought the criminal element to its knees by imprisoning or killing most of them. However those who were sent into the Russian gulag became galvanized and arose as what we now know as the vory v zakone.
Like their cousins the Mafiya, vory v zakone flourished following the breakup of the Soviet Union by infiltrating the top political and economic areas of Russia and the post-Soviet countries. Members of the group are given title by other members and in order to remain in their appointed position of power must abide by the code. The penalty for ignoring the code can be at best mutilation and at worst death.
The Thief’s Code
1.) Forsake his relatives–mother, father, brothers, sisters.
2.) Not have a family of his own — no wife, no children; this does not however, preclude him from having a lover.
3.) Never, under any circumstances work, no matter how much difficulty this brings-, live only on means gleaned from thievery.
4.) Help other thieves — both by moral and material support, utilizing the commune of thieves.
5.) Keep secret information about the whereabouts of accomplices (i.e. dens, districts, hideouts, safe apartments, etc.).
6.) In unavoidable situations (if a thief is under investigation) to take the blame for someone else’s crime; this buys the other person time of freedom.
7.) Demand convocation of inquiry for the purpose of resolving disputes in the event of a conflict between oneself and other thieves, or between thieves.
8.) If necessary, participate in such inquiries.
9.) Carry out the punishment of the offending thief as decided by the convocation.
10.) Not resist carrying out the decision of punishing the offending thief who is found guilty, with punishment determined by the convocation.
11.) Have good command of the thieves’ jargon (”Fehnay”).
12.) Not gamble without being ability to cover losses.
13.) Teach the trade to young beginners.
14.) Have, if possible, informants from the rank and file of thieves.
15.) Not lose your reasoning ability when using alcohol.
16.) Have nothing to do with the authorities (particularly with the ITU, Correctional Labor Authority), not participate in public activities, nor join any community organizations.
17.) Not take weapons from the hands of authorities; not serve in the military.
18.) Make good on promises given to other thieves.
The vory v zakone live and die by the code.
The vory v zakone have been in existence since the early 20th century but criminal activity has been distributed throughout the Russia and the regions, countries, and territories which made up the former USSR for centuries. These elements became the vory v zakone following the revolution of 1917 and began in the Soviet gulag system. The vory live and die by the Thief’s Code.
Putting the Mafiya in Mafia Wars
Oct/093
Moscow is the latest expansion in Zynga’s Mafia Wars social network game and beginning with this article we will begin to dissect the expansion and learn everything that we can about it. We will learn a bit about the history of the competing factions along with an in depth look at the economy as well as the best, but perhaps not the easiest ways to progress through the expansion.
When venturing to new and exciting areas is it always best to learn a bit about the area and the major players who are vying for control before diving in. Today we will learn a bit about the Mafiya.
In Russia the terms Russkaya Mafiya, Krasnaya Mafiya, and Bravata are often translated as Mafiya. These three organized crime syndicates all originate in the old USSR and since its collapse in the fall of 1991 they have amassed considerable influence and a worldwide power base.
Organized crime has been part of Russian history since the time of Imperial Russia and the Tsars. During the early days they criminal aspect was made up of bandits and thieves known as Vory v Zakone or “Thieves in Law” (more on them later in this article series).
In the 1990’s during the fall of the Soviet Union the country was economically devastated and thus the criminal element flourished. KGB agents, war veterans, and others found themselves in high demand. They had knowledge in areas that proved very useful in criminal organizations.
In the late 90’s the now “westernized” criminal element was solidified by Semion Mogilevich into what we now know as the Mafiya. Gone was the code of honor that had been the foundation of Russian organized crime and tradition was set aside. The Russian Mafiya was all but a clone of its western counterpart, though a quite vicious clone it was.
Semion Mogilevich was a very powerful and dangerous man. In fact the FBI considered him the “Boss of all Bosses” controlling most of the Russian Mafiya syndicates world wide, and the most powerful crime boss in the world. More powerful even than those from the Sicilian, New York, Triad, and all other world wide gangs.
As criminal organizations go it would seem that the Russian Mafiya has its fingers in just about any criminal activity that one might imagine. Arms trafficking, blackmailing, bombings, charity fraud, computer hacking, identity theft, murder, extortion, and prostitution are but a few of these activities.
The Mafiya is made up of criminal elements from the KGB, Soviet Military, and many other areas of the former Soviet Union. The new Mafiya differs from its counterpart the Vory v Zakone in that it does not honor the old traditions and codes of honor and conduct for its members. The Mafiya is as cold blooded as they come and are much like its western counterparts.
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