What is the payoff? What exactly is our goal?
November 5, 2009 by OpinionHead · Leave a Comment
Share your reasons for playing, maybe you can tell someone something that will get more people interested, maybe you can remind someone else of why they started, and slow down the rate of people quitting vs staying.
I am sure that our individual lists of reasons for playing these games, when viewed collectively, is one big tangled mess, that overlaps and twists into something that must have at least one thing in common. Could it be that boredom had something to do with it? Could it be the need for the company of other people, even if this company is filled with battles and killing?
I have to apologize, I am one of those that is so analytical, I must find a reason for everything, there always is one, right? Well, if there is, I cannot find it! When I started playing, that very first time, I was a bit tired of what I had been doing, and thought maybe this would be a fun thing for a few minutes, just a brief fling with something that I have always thought to be a waste of time, games. So, admittedly, I am not a gamer, what in the world happened? How did I get hooked? Why do I play? Why do you play? What is it about this game?
If this were a game like checkers, or even poker, the goal is obvious, to win, but, this game has no single winner! Is that it, we can all win a little bit here and there and that keeps us going? If you had to tell someone, why you play the 140Mafia game, or any of these Twitter games, what would you tell them? There is no payoff other than getting on a list, an maybe making a friend or two, which are not bad things, but the internet is full of other ways to do the same thing, so, why this? Well, at first, I was crazy, trying to grow wealth, and power as fast as I could, but, now I think that for me, what this game has to offer is the ability to play, even when I am not playing! I can go about my daily routine, then stop off and check the game, buy some weapons or property, and fight a bit, then, go back to what I was doing before, and start all over again. Could this be it?
By the way, does anyone know why the “scoreboard” has the top of everything listed, except levels? What is the highest level attained so far?
Whats up with 140Booster and the toolbar?
November 2, 2009 by OpinionHead · 1 Comment
The 140Booster toolbar is for real! Yes, I said it, it really does work as long as your browser is in the list. It really does get you new members! I am a bit impatient and it seemed a bit slow, if you feel that way, click the banner above and go to the 140Booster.com website and watch the video, when you see that, it will be clear as to why it seems so slow. When I started running it, I had 670 members, at the time of writing this, I have 701 members. No, this toolbar did not recruit them all, I was sent invite by two or three, but still, this is in about an hour, not bad I say!
Once you have it installed, there may be a question or two, like why is the box black? This one, I am pretty sure I can tell you the answer, if you could see the images, that would slow down the process even more because of the extra bandwith that would be required, I hope they tell me if I am right or wrong, on anything that I write about the toolbar. Anyway, the other things are almost all adjustable in the settings, I stopped playing 140Army and Ninja Clash, nothing wrong with the games, I just liked 140Mafia better, so, I removed them from the list, as a matter of fact I removed everything but the 140 Mafia tab. Here comes another guess, if you are curious as to why, you cannot remove the search box, that is how 140Blaster gets paid, and deservedly so, I am sure that there was a tremendous amount of work put into this project, so, use it, do a few searches when ever you need to search, maybe that will help get the toolbar for Opera.
Installing to FireFox is easy, it installs like any other plugin. Windows IE7 is automatic, but, I still haven’t figured out Safari and how to install it there, I don’t think it is the toolbar, I think it is me, Safari used to be on my list of useless browsers, like IE, and Opera but, since I found I could use it to test websites appearance with several different browsers, even the iPhone, so I am starting to like it. The reason I am writing that part, is that I am hoping one of you apple heads can tell me how to work it.
Back to the toolbar, I have been around the internet for a very long time, and my experience has taught me that toolbars are a very bad thing, in many cases they are nothing but spy/spam/god only knows what bots, that track your each and every move, however, in this case, the toolbar is ok to use, I have every virus, spyware or bot checker that I know of, and nothing has notified me of a problem, so, it must be safe. If you read the information and proof on their website, it can tell you more than I can, all I can give you is my opinion, so, If you wish to download the toolbar, click the banner image above, that will take you to the 140Booster.com website.
140 Mafia: Mobs and families, do they really look out for you?
November 2, 2009 by OpinionHead · 1 Comment
What happens when you join a family? Once you invite someone, or accept their invite, what happens? One thing, your mob size gets bigger, that is pretty much it. In this game, size does matter, (see this Mob Size table), but not in the way that you may think. the table refered to shows what mob size does mean in this game, now, I am going to tell you what it doesn’t mean.
We have all seen the Mob movies, once you are in the family, thats it, you are a made man, or woman, as the case may be, and if one family kills someone from another, the latter then would retaliate and attack the former, that is how the mob works, right? Well, when a new player starts off in this game, and the inevitable attacks start, the first thing one thinks of, is contacting a family member for help, for that retaliation, but, you quickly learn that is not how the families work in this game for the most part, you are on your own, unless, you happen to find one of the few players that I know of, that may come to your rescue, but only if the attacking player is quite a few levels above you. After all, that is what this game is all about, fighting and killing, but, once you have been playing a while, these angels of mercy become apparent, all you have to do is see some of the “help requests” on their profile pages, and the ensuing conversations. As someone who has received help, (a higher level attacking me as a lower level for several days in a row), I can tell you this, it is not like in the movies!
Since there is no limit as to who may be in your family, the “bad guy” could be in the “good guy’s” family, this person could be a nice person to them and maybe it just happened to be a bad day and you were the one to step in it. Let me tell you, you will get attacked, you will get attacked by the higher levels, and, in most cases, this attack could just be them checking you out, in others, maybe they just need some quick cash, or maybe just a couple of experience points to get to a higher level, but, in any case, it will make you mad!
From the beginning until you get to where you have a decent hourly income, any attack that takes money from you can be devastating, emotionally, if you are a passionate person, meaning you have a short temper, in this case, it can make you just want to quit or smash your computer! As you play, and move from level to level, you will see the players that do give up, recognized by the familiar “deleted user” in a post on a profile. I have to admit, I thought about it, but, I am a hard headed, never say die kind of opinionated butt-head and I was a lot closer to smashing my laptop than I was to quitting! (This is one of the reasons I was looking for a guide as to how to handle the problem I was having.) However, the thought did cross my mind. Just remember, if you stick with it, in most cases, the person will get bored and move on, all you can do is keep saving, keep buying properties and equipment, and keep leveling up, then, before you know it, you will be at a level where you can hold your own! Just don’t become one of those bullies!
140Gamerz is now iPhone compatible!
November 1, 2009 by 140Gamerz · Leave a Comment
With the sales of the iPhone being the way that they are, you know that there must be a few of them playing the games, and hopefully browsing this site, so, for you iPhone people, 140Gamerz.com is ready!
Now there is no excuse, if you are out and about and you have your iPhone with you, not only is Twitter compatible but you are still able to view this site without scrolling forever to see the page. I have tested this using the Safari Browser for Windows, by activating the Developer tool, you can select the user agent with which you wish to view the page, and in that list is the iPhone. However, since there are no plugins for Safari, like the one I use with FireFox, I can’t take an actual screenshot as it appears on my browser, so, I am using the screenshot from the WordPress plugin page, where this wonderful tool came from.
Should you have a WordPress site, and you wish to make it iPhone friendly, here is the link to the WPtouch iPhone Theme download page. If you have a WordPress site, please not that it must be at least version 2.6, and if it is current, now 2.8.5, you can upload the zip file from your desktop, from within WordPress, it is quick and easy. Enjoy!
140Mafia Game tips, where do I find them? Is there a guide?
November 1, 2009 by OpinionHead · Leave a Comment
If you just started playing 140Mafia, and that automated message that came from someone you follow on Twitter, was just enough to get you curious and now you are lost, join the club, that is what happened to me. I am pretty much an “anti-gamer”, I have never been a gamer, from the days of pong, up through asteroids and beyond, video games were just something that I felt were a waste of time, then came that stupid tweet, “@OpinionHead I need your help – please join my mob! #140mafia http://140mafia.com“ I was just curious enough to see what the heck that was all about! You too?
Once I got started, thinking that I would only play for a few minutes, I was hooked! Before I knew it, I had run off many of my regular followers due to the SPAM my account was spewing, yes, there were checkboxes when I signed up, but I had no idea what that was all about, so, I checked them all, not knowing that each and every action in the game sends out a tweet! Since my OpinionHead Twitter account is a serious account, I quickly unchecked those boxes and created a second account so that I could get that bonus! Just like drugs, alcohol or whatever, to get “cured” you must first admit that you have a problem, that second Twitter account was my awakening, but, I didn’t want to get “cured”, I wanted to know how this game worked, what do I have to do to be the best and get on one of those Scoreboard lists? So, I began searching for help.
Of course the game has a help page, and a forum, and yes, this covers the basics of how the game works, and, I bugged a few players for help, but, I wanted more! So, I Googled 140Mafia, 140Mafia game tips, 140Mafia Guide, and there it was, The Ultimate 140 Mafia Guide JournalXtra, so I followed that link, when I saw what is there, I almost went into shock! No, not just because of the valuable information that is there, but that there is another fanatic like me!
There I was, maybe a level 10, and I had struck gold! I read and read, and quickly realized that this guy is as long winded as I am, but sure does it much prettier than me! Just so that you know. when I ask what time it is, I really want to know how to build a clock. The Ultimate 140Mafia Guide is clock building plans! Whether you are new to the game or an old pro, there is something there for you.
Now, after reading this guide, and bugging those helpful players that I had met, I knew that something was needed, a place for people to go, to get help, and maybe just hang out, and trying to talk to someone, on the profile pages, flipping back and forth, just is not a way for these helpful tips to be treated, these profile pages are great for some stuff, a quick hello. or something like that, but not for anything that matters, so, 140Gamerz.com was born!
Now, Dion de Ville, the author of this guide has written about this site, all I can say is thanks, maybe 140Gamerz.com can help someone, read his article here.
Recruiting new Mobbies the easy way!
October 29, 2009 by 140Gamerz · Leave a Comment
There is an easy way to recruit new members if you use Firefox, all you need is the FasterFox or FastestFox, whatever its called now, plugin, if you have this, when you visit someones profile page, the invite links that everybody posts, become real live links that you can click! I added many new members to my mob that way. diondeville gave me this tip and it works great! If you follow the GAME STATION link, there are many tools available, and, there is a guide that can really help, and the Game Station itself is fantastic for viewing profile to get to theses links that have been posted, check it out. Below is a screen-shot showing the links in blue.
Gaining Experience Points (XP) in the higher levels, how?
October 26, 2009 by OpinionHead · 3 Comments
I am really hoping to get a reply on this one quick! Each time you move up a level, it takes more experience points to get to the next level than it did the previous, and it should be so, but, what I am noticing is that I am having to fight the same players over and over again, sure, for me this is not that big of a deal as long as I win, but to those I am fighting, it must suck!
At the time of writing this, I am a level 56, been fighting and jobbing for what seems like forever, and tonight, I just got there. I try to move up one level every couple of days or so, moving slowly, building up cash for buying weapons and property, but, after every level, I am a bit freaked out when I see the distance to my next goal! What freaks my out is the point of this article.
Let me break this down, for me to go to level 57 from 56 is about 300 experience points. When you fight someone in your bracket, if you are lucky, you get 4 or 5 in xp, but most of the time it is a 3 or less. If there is any cash to be had worth wasting the stamina on, it is usually a 1 or 0 in xp, the cash is not so bad, but the xp is more valuable. Basically, an average of 3 xp per fight, being generous, that means it takes 100 fights, IF you get that average!
In the lower levels, there seems to be more players, some start and just never come back (those are the onse that give up the cash), and in those lower levels, xp is not that important, cash is, and not everyone is on your team yet! Once you get above level 30, the herd starts thinning out! Those that continue, past level 40 are even fewer, that is when I started noticing that I was seeing the same players, over and over in the fight que even more often, that is also, when the higher level players start showing up to rob you while you sleep! When I hit level 50, I noticed that I was finding the big money more often when I won, but, the big kids are still not playing nice, obviously they are there for the same reason, cash! Anyway, I noticed that from level 50, the player count really gets thin, if your team has been growing. So, now, I am at level 56.
I have 617 members in my family now as well, that is not a lot, but it is ok. Based on this, when I check the fight que, there are now just about the same players as before! I almost screamed! As you know, when you move up a level, you leave behind the players that are still on that level, but, most of them have been on your list for at least two levels!
(As I am writing this, I had someone reply on my profile, “add me to your mob and stop to attack please” see my point? As I just stated, this person was a level up from me yesterday, so they have been getting hit by me for around 2 levels as I move past, a few days ago, they were three levels higher and when I attacked, I lost! As of writing this, they are the same level as me, and I just got there and then started writing, not everyone plays every day I guess?)
So, what is one to do? How do you get that extra XP? At 4 minutes per Energy level, and 30 needed for a job, that is 2 hours! I have three Twitter acounts now, two were originally just for other websites, for when articles got published there, and then I got into this game, and now have three, and this additional website! I do this to kill time between working, writing, playing, and sleeping. I have seen references on some profiles about trading XP, now I know why, but how? Sell your weapons, buy your weapons, sell your weapons? As I said, I am only a level 56, maybe when I get way up there, I will understand, maybe, I will have so much money that selling off for half of what they cost, just to buy them back again will make more sense, maybe someone will reply to this and explain? Just maybe?
Jobs: Do I or Do I Not?
October 17, 2009 by OpinionHead · Leave a Comment
One of the most important things that I have learned, and learned the hard way, is that doing “Jobs/Missions” or what ever the game may call them, can be a good way to get a little cash to buy properties and a few weapons, but, and this is the key point, if you rely on doing jobs to move up your levels too fast, you leave behind the players that are not, and those are the players that you can beat!
What I am trying to say is, if you move up too fast, you will not have the properties and weapons that the more patient players have, and they will be able to beat you every time in a fight/battle. When I started playing, I thought that you gained some sort of benefit when you went up a level, but you don’t, all you do is put yourself in a position where you have no weapons to match the other players at that level! In other words, I was getting my ass handed to me every time!
So, my advice to any new player is to be patient, invest in properties and let your cash grow, only purchase the “expensive” weapons when you have enough income, not only to cover the cost of the weapons, but to maintain that income and be able to buy more weapons! Maybe it is just me, but I assumed that you had to have enough properties, or income, to cover the regular deductions of those weapons, but you do not! I was getting beat by a level 40 ish player that had like 400 Rocket lauchers and Cannons and such, I had only been playing a few hours and had gotten to the same level but I had like 20 Rocket launchers etc! I was basically screwed! I had no way to grow, all of my cash was being harvested if I even went to sleep, I was losing my mind!
I hope that my mistakes can help someone else avoid making them, remember, BE PATIENT and move up in Rank slowly!
How much time do you spend playing?
October 17, 2009 by OpinionHead · Leave a Comment
This topic is something that has been puzzleing me, since I started playing these Twitter games.
When I started playing, I was addicted from the first minute on! This game pretty much plays itself and I am busy doing so many different things, this is a big plus because I can take a break, deposit some cash, by something or fight a bit, then, just go back to working on whatever it was I had been doing before! However, from when I wake up, until I go to bed, I am checking the game, at least once an hour!
What about you? Are you an addict? Here is a poll, lets just see where we all stand on this, I am really curious to know if I am the only junkie!
Loading ...Which is your favorite game?
October 11, 2009 by OpinionHead · 1 Comment
I have been playing 140 Army, 140 Mafia, and Ninja Clash, I tried a couple of others, but the layout and functionality was, well, too cluttered, it just didn’t flow like the others, maybe if I had started with them I would feel different, but to get to the point, 140 Mafia is my favorite.
The setup works on Mafia, you don’t have to suffer forever to get to the level where the weapons you need to advance show up, I guess for me its all about the money! With 149 Mafia, you can get cash building up quick and advance to the higher levels quicker, which means the bullies leave you alone quicker. What about you? What is your favorite and why? Do any of you ‘higher ups” have any secrets or tips on how to make the game better?