E3 2011: Predictions

After cherry picking the internet for gossip and rumours regarding the upcoming E3 event, the biggest in the video game calendar, E3 2011 could be the best ever produced or give gamers the greatest underwhelming experience since the Panasonic 3D0.

Personal feelings regarding hype always involve a note of caution, in that way I never feel a overwhelming sense of frustration although I admit at times it's hard to control depending on the subject matter. E3 is a personal favourite of mine, one I look forward to every year, however giving the recent examples of people in the industry over hyping announcements these days I keep my thoughts low key, therefore any news which excites me feels all the better.

The big three are hoping to steal the limelight off each other once again and here is what I think could possibly happen:

Sony:

Sony's press conference will come under intense scrutiny after the Playstation Network was invaded by hackers. Many will hope new features are introduced to improve the service, not just from a security standpoint but from a user interface view also. The Japanese company also has the matter of the Next Generation Portable, which excited many when it was first announced earlier in the year. Here is a list of what I think Sony will announce:

*NGP will cost $279.99 for basic model, 3G model will cost $329.99

*Kevin Butler will once again appear on stage, hopefully talking about gaming rather than appeasing to fanboy garbage.

*Twisted Metal will see a release date of January 2012

*Rockstar bring the Grand Theft Auto franchise to NGP in a new exclusive story, not a port of any console game.

*Sony confirm new firmware update that adds better and more gamer orientated dashboard including more in depth PSN ID's and slicker Trophy comparing/synching.

*Batman Arkham City will have exclusive DLC on PS3

*Eight Days will rise from the dead to see a targeted release timeframe of 2012
----------------------------- ------------------------------- -----

Nintendo have a very interesting E3 ahead, although the 3DS has potential it has yet to storm the charts from a hardware and software standpoint. Their current home console the Wii, has seen software become stagnant with a price drop included which has caused Nintendo to announce the arrival of Project Cafe, which will be properly announced and presented to gamers in playable form from June 7th onwards. Here is my Nintendo predicitions:

*Project Cafe will have a pricepoint of $349.99.

*It will only be slightly more powerful than the Xbox 360 and PS3, which I predict will sadden many gamers.

*Nintendo will spend time trying to justify the price point with the design of the controller.

*Nintendo will announce an all new online service, Nintendo-On or something similar. Friend codes are ditched for a more user friendly user name template.

* Mario will be teased with no gameplay along with the return of StarFox.

*A new first party exclusive is announced for Cafe that is designed to appeal to older gamers.

*The 3DS will see a Wii Sports type package announced based on Nintendo characters.
----------------------------- ------------------------------- -----

Microsoft are attracting a growing number of negative feedback from gamers, mainly regarding their first party exclusive portfolio and continuing focus on their so far successful motion gaming add on Kinect. While sales of the console and software are very steady at the moment, the negativity seems to focus on Microsoft not being able to balance motion gaming for Kinect and traditional controller based gaming into their exclusive line up.Here is my Microsoft predictions:

*$50 off 250gb model, 250gb Kinect bundle and $20 off the 4gb model.

*Kinect software will be around 75% of the gaming announcements, which could disappoint many.

*Star Wars Kinect sees a release time frame around the same time as the Blu Ray box sets

*Codename Kingdoms will have traditional controller and Kinect forms of play. Probably Crytek's answer to the Elder Scrolls series.

*YouTube comes to Xbox Live.

----------------------------- ------------------------------- -----

Apart from the big three, we have the third party announcements to look forward to, some of which I think could be made are:

*A new Monkey Island game from LucasArts (they seem intent on ignoring pleas for Star Wars Battlefront 3)

*Transformers War for Cybertron 2

*Battlefield 3 to have exclusive DLC on one of the consoles

*Konami bring the Zone of the Enders series multiplatform

*A Simpsons PSN/XBLA title

*Metal Gear Solid Rising release time targeted for Q1 2012

----------------------------- ------------------------------- -----

Well, that's it for my predictions, we will all find out soon enough if they are complete trash or if some have been guessed wisely.
There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.

Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.

For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.

Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.

When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.

Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.

Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >

[Source: Zynga]

Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment