Feels like a Win - Old Property Timers coming Back

A few days ago I wrote a very angry article at Zynga about the changes to the property timers - my main complaint being that the the cost to build no longer decreased with the time to the next build (you can read that article here: http://tinyurl.com/zynga-iced-themselves). Well, it looks like enough of us bitched about it! They will be slowly rolling the timers back to they way they used to work. You can read about the improvement from Zynga here: http://tinyurl.com/property-improve . However, the format will not change, there will still be Global and City properties etc.  But it will get cheaper to craft again as the time decreases, instead of costing 12 RPs to build no matter the timer says.  I was about ready to quit over this issue so I, for one, am glad they changed it.  I want to thank everyone who read my article and also those who gave feed back to zynga via the link I provided, whether you followed it from me or via Zynga, enough of us were pissed to get them to change it back. Many thanks my friends.

Yours truly,
A temporarily appeased {ℳ} ßrµ†µ§ =Ʀ²Ƒ=

UPDATE: It appears things have NOT "reverted to the previous way your Property Build timers used to work."

Zynga Iced Themselves - UPDATED

I am so pissed off right now I can't see straight. I am not even bothering with a graphic (maybe add one later).  This new property crap has me fuming mad.  If you read the new FAQ carefully you will see that the reason all the timers are jacked up and still at 12 RPs, regardless of the time, is because that is a new improvement to the property feature. HUH? Yeah.....follow this link http://tinyurl.com/GLOBAL-FAQ and about half-way into the FAQ you will see:

Q: How many Items can I build in a day? How many RPs do I need to spend to craft beyond free Limit?

The very last sentence of the answer they give is all I cared about in the whole stupid long winded FAQ:

A: If you want to build more items, you will be charged 12 RPs for every craft.

Again...HUH?  Are they trying to ICE themselves??? (BTW thanks David Tucker and Co. for that phrase).  I am a chronic speed builder.  I build almost every day when the timers are at 6 RPs per build. It is almost the only thing I spend money on regularly in the game besides the crate sales. And now they have nerfed it.  Now i have to pay 12 RPs to speed build no matter what the time says.  HUH? ARE YOU SMOKING CRACK ZYNGA??? Are you NOT aware of the rapidly dwindling number of players???  This is almost the last straw for me.  I am not going to quit playing, but my wallet is gonna quit paying.  They just don't deserve any more of my money - period.

YOU HEAR THAT ZYNGA? NO MORE MONEY FROM ME!!!! And I won't be the only one.  This type of speed building that they nerfed is, or, i guess i should say, WAS, wildly popular.

Zynga, you are a bastard.  I hope Mark Pincus goes bankrupt, LOL.  Zynga is run by the stupidest of the stupid, and the greediest of the greedy.  They have managed to stumble upon good ideas here and there like a blind chicken pecking for corn.  No vision. No pulse on the players. No clue how to appease the masses. No concern for anything other than money.  Which is a really bad approach for a social gaming company.  Me thinks being socialable might be a good trait for such a company, yet Zynga is better personified as a conniving and sniveling DICKHEAD.  It disgust me that i have spent thousands of dollars on this game.  Makes me want to vomit in Mark Pincus' face. Repeatedly.  I'm sorry ya'll. It's just, I've had enough of this bull.

{ℳ} ßrµ†µ§ =Ʀ²Ƒ=

Addendum: I forget to mention there is survey you can take. I suggest you take it and help the retards understand how bad they suck at life:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDZTSDRVaGZVZ3lGaEtVbHlzZkpCM0E6MQ

FROM A LIVE CHAT I JUST HAD:
"Jonathan: And when mafia wars dies, I will not play any other zynga title PERIOD. not even words with friends on my iPhone. if zynga is even remotely associated with it, I will not be playing it. period.
Xxxx X.: I will let your voice know by all Zynga Mafia Wars support.
Xxxx X.: And that's why we have that survey.
Xxxx X.: Because, we can change it.
Xxxx X.: So my advise, is to keep filling that survey.
Xxxx X.: And I will pass all your un agreement.
Jonathan: ok, sorry for they delay i suddenly had to step away. but pretty much unless this is reversed i am on the war path. no disrespects to you Xxxx I understand this is just your job. I will let you go.

5 Simple Fixes For Mafia Wars

I want to start by admitting that I play Mafia Wars all the time.  I've played the game for a long time.  

Quite frequently you can simply type "mafia wars" into the search box on facebook and come up with numerous posts by friends complaining about a new feature, a bug, a gift that did not go through, the new mafia invite that would not work, etc.  Well, after much consideration, I concluded there were 5 simple fixes that (I think) would make the game more enjoyable.

So, without further ado, here goes:

Fix #1 ~ PROPERTIES

If you are going to have us build so many properties, expand either the number of property gift/help clicks or reduce the timer.  And, please, give some thought to offering up periodic bonus days where you can build from every property you have at least once.

Fix #2 ~ GIFTS

Gifts.  Gifting limits.  Collecting Limits.  Gifting system.  Returning of Gifts.

It's simple: if we have to have 501 in our mafia then at least let us give and collect that many gifts per 24 hours.  Period.

Fix #3 ~ THE COMPLETE LACK OF BREAKS BETWEEN EVENTS

I understand the developers are bored.  Truly I do.  But it sure would be nice if they could suffer in silence for 1 day in between events every single time.  I'm not asking for much.  Just give us 24 hours to try to finish the old properties we did not get completed, etc.  One measly little day in between releasing events.  Put a banner up, let us anticipate the new, exciting event for a day.  It would not kill you, and I might just get to upgrade one of my Chicago properties one more level before I have to start collecting the next round of:

1. Secret District Consumables
2. Special Event Items (like the Incognito event)
3. Boss Fight Consumables
4. And so on, and so on, and so on.

Fix #4 ~ GET SOME VOLUNTEER BETA TESTERS TO AVOID ISSUES

Get some real, live, willing BETA TESTERS for the new stuff that's going to get released.  Trust me, there would be plenty of volunteers out there.  In fact, you could stick a silly pop-up ad in the game of a random number of people offering some RP for if they respond to a 5 question survey on a beta release of the newest property, event, etc. you want to try out.  Make it random and test stuff out before you release it.  It might just save you from the chronic roll-backs, delays, etc.

Botanical Garden is a classic example of why testing stuff might help.  It got rolled out too early by mistake and many people collected, built, etc. then got really irritated when it disappeared from their game.

Fix #5 ~ FAMILY PROPERTIES

(Not enough information or simply not worth it)

When you do release new stuff, like the family properties which got released today, try putting out a nice, clear, complete summary of what:

1. is the point or goal
2. needs to be done in order to get to that goal
3. is the bonus or benefit will be if we go through the hassle

I've pointed out #5 specifically because, while I typically consider myself smart,  quick to pick up why we have this new Event, Property, etc. I've yet to figure out why Family Properties will be worth my time, effort and just the overall hassle.

From my review of how the Family Properties works so far I say this:

GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.  

It bites.   

It wastes our gifts, uses up a ridiculous amount of stamina and just looks like a pain in the a^*.

And...that nifty issue with allowing all members of the family the option to issue or accept battle challenges...get it fixed right now.  You want us to encourage new players to play the game, buy RP, etc. - then don't let just anyone in the family have the option to make battle choices for us.

*Dusts hands off and says: enough already.  :Rant over:
~Anisty

Speed Build Timer Issues

Some players are reporting that if they use reward points to speed build an item in one of their New York properties, the build timer also resets on their OTHER properties. This should not be the case. I've seen this reported on the forum, and now someone in my Family is experiencing this as well.

Zynga, naturally, can't seem to figure out how to reproduce the issue. Are you having this problem too? If so, you should report it, but keep in mind that you'll need to explain the problem to them as you would to a three year old. Drawing pictures might help them understand better.