10 Million Fans and Counting
Mar/100
Zynga undoubtedly has one of the most popular games in the Social Networking world in their hit Mafia Wars. The company has won the loyalty of millions of players by providing a stable fun gaming environment and through timely expansions and many fan related events.
The milestone of 10 Million Fans is evidence that Mafia Wars has taken its place at the top of the social network gaming food chain. To become a fan one must complete a series of steps that give them fan status but with many game players not completing the process it is quite possible that the actual number of players may exceed 15 million or more.
In appreciation of the 10 Million-Fan milestone Zynga is showing their gratitude by offering a two-day fan appreciation holiday. On March 30 and 31 all players will enjoy the following benefits.
- Double Mastery In All Cities
If you have been slacking in finishing up New York now is the time to get it done. Double Mastery will cut your completion time in half.
- Higher Payout on Fights
All fights are giving 25% more experience. Stamina based characters should love this one.
- FREE Limited Edition Loot
All players who participate in the appreciation event receive the “Heavy Hand.” This limited loot item is a 43 attack, 23 defense weapon.
Zynga has always made gaming fun for social network gamers and it looks like the trend is not going to come to an end anytime soon.
New Robbing Collections
Mar/100
New Robbing Collections
With the implementation of the new and improved robbing feature Zynga has added two collections. The items that comprise the collections may only be found when robbing other players and from what I understand you must complete the grid that you are given when you choose the Fight Tab and Robbing.
The collection items do not drop when you rob someone from their Profile Page, ensuring that the collection items cannot be found by simply attacking your whipping boy over and over.
Tools of the Trade Collection
- Lock Picks
- Diamond Drill
- Flashlight
- Walkie Talkie
- Safecracker’s Stethoscope
- Black Ski Masks
- Grappling Hooks
Vault to get 20% more cash and items from Robbing.
Stolen Diamond Collection
- Hope Diamond
- Koh-I-Noor Diamond
- Great Star of Africa Diamond
- The Orloff Diamond
- The Sancy Diamond
- The Idol’s Eye Diamond
- The Regent Diamond
Vault to get to get a 10% bonus to the odds of successful robberies.
At this time I do not know if these items can be re-vaulted but one would assume so, or the reward for re-vaulting.
The Return of Robbing In Mafia Wars
Mar/100
For all of those who just love a good heist, robbing has returned to Mafia Wars for some players. Yes it seems that the new robbing feature is being implemented in the same way as most Mafia Wars content and updated features. If you do not have access to it yet I am sure that it will not be long until you do.
Times have changed in robbing since it was removed from the game. Today when you rob a property it costs a specific amount of stamina and higher value targets consume more stamina. Mafia required has changed as well. In order to rob higher value targets you will use more mafia than you would when attacking low value properties. In addition there are now two ways to rob players.
1.) From the Fight Tab
Operating from the Fight Tab is basically the same way that you conducted robberies before the were removed from the game and reinvented but with a twist. Robbing from the Fight Tab will give you random targets in a grid containing properties that can be robbed and are color coded to represent the level of difficulty that you will encounter when trying to rob them. The more difficult the property the more stamina robbing it will consume. If you can finish the entire grid you will be given a chance to win one of the new Robbing Collection items, which are rare.
2.) From the Profile Page
When viewing a player’s profile page you will be able to rob directly without having to go to the Fight Tab. You will be presented with a list of their properties along with the costs in stamina to rob them. Robbing from the Profile Page may seem the easy way to go but there are a couple things that you need to understand. Properties are NOT displayed with a degree of difficulty with a color code so rob at your own risk. Also you will not be able get the rare collection items and robbing in this manner will not increase mastery.
Defenders fear not there are a few bells and whistles for you as well. When you get robbed finding out who did it is easy as pie. You will be able to see which properties have been robbed and you can simply hold your mouse over the property and you can see who the mug is who hit you. You can then just click on their name and you will be whisked away to their Profile Page where you can alert your mafia or handle the problem yourself.
To keep robbing to a minimum keep an eye on your properties and bank the cash that they generate as soon as it is ready to collect.
Robbing has returned to Mafia Wars with a brand new face and ease of play. Rob from the Fight Tab or Profile Pages. Find out who robbed you with a single mouse over and alert your mafia for some retribution.
Mobile Phone Mafia Wars
Mar/100
The folks over at Zynga are always coming up with fun new features for Mafia Wars and now they have added the ability to play the game from any mobile phone. Yes you read that correctly brand new 2-way SMS has arrived for Mafia Wars
When you sign up for mobile Mafia Wars access you can
- Fight other players
- Do jobs anywhere any time
- Get instant alerts when you are attacked
- Hand out gifts
- Help out your mafia
- Receive exclusive promotions, benefits, and content
- Linked to your Facebook account
All you have to do is enter your cell phone number and you will receive a Limited Edition item that is given to cell phone players only. The “Dead Ringer” is a 45 attack, 36 defense and is a Pistol (weapon).
If you have signed up for SMS already don’t worry you can still get the Dead Ringer and begin playing Mafia Wars by sending text messages to MAFIA (62342).
Alerts that you receive can be configured in your profile. While Zynga does not charge for the service you may want to check your text or messaging and data plan with your carrier. If you are having problems you can text HELP to 62342 or you can send email to support@zynga.com
As a final note on the service, it is only available within the United States.
Zynga Crack Down On Bots, Scripts And Third Party Programs
Mar/102
Yesterday I posted about a letter I got over the weekend that I feel is a scam. But what if that letter had been real? What if Zynga started cracking down on all of the scripts, bots, hacks and third party programs? What if my readers were suspended or even banned based on a program that I reviewed on my blog?
I have been a Mafia Wars player for a very long time and I have been bringing you various tips and tricks for nearly as long. My posts have presented you with my experience and insight into the game and given you some solid advice on how you can speed leveling, build a huge mafia and much more.
While I may have reported from time to time on what Zynga might consider a script or third party program I have always included a disclaimer that says in effect “use at your own risk.” I have also stated time and time again that Zynga can and will shut down your account for using scripts, programs, or anything that they consider cheats. Believe me they can and have done it.
I will be completely honest with you. I do use some of these programs or scripts on test accounts, this allows me to learn and test and pass on information, methods and techniques on to you. In fact I HAVE had accounts shut down on occasion.
Like I said, one of my accounts got caught. I won’t tell you what script I was using because I do not want you to be caught as well. Like I said above, I DO run scripts, programs, etc. on test accounts. I run many test accounts to provide you with information but only on test accounts that really do not matter. I NEVER and I repeat NEVER run any type of script, program or 3rd party applications on my play accounts …and neither should you.
Zynga Crack Down Or Scam?
Mar/100
Over the weekend I received the following letter supposedly from Zynga.
————————————————–
Hello fellow Zynga customer,
The last 4 days we have noticed some unreasonable activity related to your account that is not acceptable amongst our Terms of Service, due to the nature of these rule breaks your account is under investigation and shall be watched for the next few days to see what activity you are really getting upto, if you are caught breaking any of our rules implied through our ToS your account will be closed down with-out prior notification and Facebook will be contacted to take serious action against you as a client of their software.
Although we acknowledge many people are doing this to gain an advantage of some sort with-in our game we can only monitor a few at a time and your account has come under action due to irregular chages in the past few days which is the reasoning behind this action we are currently taking against you.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may be causing you at this moment in time but we are getting to the bottom of this as soon as we can.
Kindest Regards
Zynga Customer Care Team
——————————————————————–
If you received this letter as well I suggest that you take steps to secure your account by changing the password and telling it to absolutely no one. I believe this letter to be false and possibly a precursor to a scam.
The reason that I believe that this letter is not legitimate is two fold. First read through it and you will find a number of spelling mistakes. Second while reading it you will notice that the language and sentence structure is for lack of a better word “clunky.” In my estimation this letter is a scam.
Many times scammers “break the ice” by sending something like this to gamers to set up a relationship. In the next few days you will get another email saying something like “we need to verify you username and password.” Unfortunately many inexperienced people fall for this.
Here are a few tips that you can use in any game to avoid being scammed.
1.) NEVER give your password to anyone.
Don’t give it to friends, relatives, and never to someone who asks for it by email. A gaming company will NEVER ask you for your password. Any email that asks for this kind of information is a scam.
2.) Change your password frequently and always after a scam attempt.
3.) If you are in doubt regarding an email or other scam attempt contact your game provider by email or even better telephone (many have toll free numbers).
4.) Be very wary of websites that use the word “cheats”. While not all are working a scam the word “cheats” is used because many people would rather cheat the game than play it and will jump at the chance to find a new method.
If you get this letter report it to Zynga immediately and under no circumstances provide anyone with your password (to you social network such as facebook or myspace), doing so could result in your account being used for less than legal purposes.
Mafia Wars St. Patrick’s Day Collection
Mar/100
Zynga has always been very good about putting out limited edition loot for major holidays and come to think of it some minor ones as well. St. Patrick’s Day is no exception.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every March 17th and is named after Saint Patrick who lived from the year 387 to 461 and is the patron Saint of Ireland. St. Patrick’s day began as a purely Catholic holiday, then became an official feast day in the 1600’s, and eventually grew into a holiday celebrated around the world.
The holiday fits into the Mafia Wars imagery in that the Irish Mob dominated Boston and New York for more than a century before facing competition from Jewish and Italian gangs in the late 1900’s.
This year Zynga has given us a brand new collection to gather. Here they are and how you can get them.
|
The St. Patrick’s Day Collection |
|
|
Item |
How to Get it |
| Irish Flag | Dublin Derby Job |
| Green Fireworks | Jobs |
| Lucky Pint Glass | Win Fights |
| Leprechaun | Jobs |
| Green Bowler Cap | Jobs |
| Pot of Gold | Win Fights |
| Bag Pipes | Free Gift |
Vault Bonus: Irish Wolf Hound (48 Attack / 29 Defense)
The collection can only be vaulted once.
The St. Patrick’s Day collection is the newest in a long line of holiday themed collections from Zynga. Let’s hope that they continue the tradition for a very long time.
Bangkok Walk Through Updates
Mar/100
All walk through posts for each and every episode of Mafia Wars Bangkok has been updated and all missing information has been replaced with accurate numbers.
You can find the episodes here:
Mafia Wars Bangkok – The Yakuza
Mar/100
Mafia Wars Bangkok pits the Chinese Triad against the Japanese Yakuza and you will have to choose a side. While the game is fictional the groups that are featured in it are quite real.
The Yakuza which are also known as “gokudo” are members of the organized crime syndicates in Japan. Law enforcement often calls them “Boryokudan” which literally means “violence group”. The Yakuza members refer to themselves as “ninkyo dantai” which translates to “chivalrous organizations.”
The origin of most modern Yakuza organizations is derived from two classifications emerging in the mid Edo Period.
Tekiya were peddlers of stolen, shoddy, or illicit goods. This group was considered one of the lowest groups in the Edo. As they began to form organizations they took over administrative duties relating to commerce. During Shinto festivals the Tekiya set up stalls and provided security. Merchants who had stalls at the event had to pay a fee for the stall as well as protection money.
Bakuto were those who were involved in illicit gambling.
As gamblers the Bakuto were of much lower social status than traders and business people. Gambling was of course illegal in Japan but the Bakuto made use of abandoned temples as well as many other locations to host games all over the country.
The Yakuza, like their counterparts all over the world are purveyors of nearly every type of crime that one might think of.
When the Yakuza formed they adopted the traditional structure of the oyabun-kobun.
|
Yakuza Hierarchy |
||||
|
Family Boss |
||||
|
syabun |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administration |
|
First Lieutenant |
|
Second Lieutenant |
|
saiko-komon |
|
wakagashira |
|
shateigashira |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Law Advisor |
|
Big Brothers |
||
|
shingiin |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accountants |
|
Little Brothers |
||
|
kaikei |
|
|||
Like other criminal organizations the Yakuza have many superstitions and rituals. One such ritual, Yubitsume involves the cutting of fingers when a member commits an offense that the leadership deems serious. The ritual starts with the removal of the little finger and moves up to the next finger for each successive offense.
Yakuza like their Russian brethren in Moscow utilize tattoos. While the Russian mafiya and Vory use individual tattoos the Yakuza often display full-body designs.
Principal Yakuza Families
Yamaguchi-gumi
This family was created in 1915 and is the largest and comprises approximately 45% of the Yakuza in Japan. The family has more than 45,000 members and is divided into 720 clans.
Sumiyoshi-rengo
With around 10,000 members the Sumiyoshi-rengo is the second largest family in the Yakuza with 177 clans.
Inagawa-kai
This family has approximately 7,400 members and 313 clans.
Aizukotetsu-kai
This family is based in Kyoto with 4,500 members.
Toua Yuai Jigyo Kumiai
This family was founded in 1948 and is made up of about 1,000 members and 6 clans.
I enjoy Mafia Wars and I enjoy history. In a round about way Mafia Wars is an excellent way to learn about the criminal organizations of the world. In New York we were introduced the traditional mafia found in the United States, in Cuba we were treated to organized crime Caribbean style, Moscow brought us the Vory and Mafiya, and the Bangkok expansion has introduced us to the Triad and Yakuza.
While it is fun to play the game you should take a little time to learn about the factions that fill the roles.
Great Mafia Wars Wish List Site
Mar/101
Getting and receiving gifts is a big part of Mafia Wars. If used properly you can build up massive amounts of the best equipment in the game in no time. I used gifting as a medium for setting up quite a few of my characters so they had the best equipment possible for their mafia before I ever started recruiting.
For a long time I used Mka Vesasto’s Wish List Adder to manage my wish list but unfortunately the bookmarklet quit working awhile back. It’s a shame since I really liked the bookmarklet since it made things so easy.
Recently I came across a new site that has a great wish list tool that I love and I think that you will as well. You can find the site at the address below.
http://wishlister.zymichost.com/
At the site you will find everything broken down into a tabbed menu at the top of the screen which makes finding the exact loot that you are looking for quite handy. When you view the loot any that has green text can be gifted. The green text makes it really easy when you are looking for the perfect gift to give or request.
To add an item to your wishlist all you have to do is click on the item and you will be taken to facebook if you are not logged in already and the item will appear on your wishlist. How easy is that?
Other features of the site include a weekly poll and super fast load times on the images. If you are looking for particular items you can use the “Search O Matic” to find it in record time.
Head over to the site and take your time learning everything that you can and you will find that both gifting and requesting gifts just got much easier.
Twitter
RSSFree video reveals the #1 Secret you need to know to get to Level 200 In Mafia Wars in under 3 days.
Save yourself weeks of wasted time and take a look at this video immediately!
Don't waste any more time waiting for energy to regen. Click here to view this video right now!
