Here's one interesting site. You answer a series of questions from this site, and for each correct answer, the sponsors (whose banner ads appear at the bottom of the screen) will donate 10 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program. You have several subjects to choose from, such as English vocabulary, Art, Chemistry, Geography, Basic Math, and Other Languages. The questions gets harder as you answer the questions correctly. And I have to say the questions (I answered the English vocabulary) are quite interesting.
I was watching a movie a while back where one of the characters commented that one of the reasons he doesn't like bowling is because the game puts a limit on your potential. At any given game, you can only get as much as a score of 300 for a perfect game. Now, anyone who has bowled for a time already know that even getting to a 200 once in a while is already a mean feat. But there is indeed some merit to that comment. After all, when you bowled a perfect game, what else is there to aim for? More perfect games? Doesn't sound too appealing to me. Will it make a difference if we compare the number of perfect games bowled? Maybe. But still it doesn't answer the question: what's the highest score you can get?
That is why I find it nice to see that GEICO sponsors a team bowling tournament that introduces a feature into the game: the endless tenth frame. The feature works as follows:
1. To activate the endless tenth frame, you must either strike or spare the 3rd ball on the tenth frame. Which means you must have a strike in the tenth frame. The downside of this is if you got two strikes in your first two throws. You have to make it a punch out! (well, that's unconfirmed, but that's how I am getting it)
2. Once activated, a player can bowl indefinitely for as long as he keeps on getting a strike.
3. Each strike earns 10 points, but has no bonus points added to the previous strikes, since it is still considered part of the tenth frame. So, two strikes count as 20, ten for each throw only.
4. The pinfalls for a non-strike throw is not added to the score. It also signals the end of the endless tenth frame.
I am just wondering when, if ever, the endless tenth frame will be a norm in bowling. It could provide some needed excitement into the game. Although it will mean there will be no "perfect" game anymore, but each game carries the potential of being the highest bowled game. It will also mean more competitiveness, since a match's final outcome can no longer be determined in as early as the eight frame. Of course, it's popularity would also be influenced by the willingness of bowling outfits to adopt to the change. I am one fan of the endless tenth frame! Hope you are too!
Leveling up the menu you serve in your Restaurant is crucial in maximizing the time you spend progressing in the game, because it affects your gourmet points. Gourmet points (GPs) are earned everytime you served a successful order (meaning, the customer doesn't get up before he gets served because it took you a great deal of time to serve him). A certain number of GPs is needed to level up, which could mean an expansion of your restaurant or option to hire additional employees. A high-level menu (at least level 7, I think), gets you more GPs per serving, up to 2.8 GPs. Hence, you could be leveling up almost as much as 3x faster with a level 7 or higher menu. With a decent popularity (around 30.0), a few hours online already gives you quite an earnings and progress in leveling.
1. Choose a dish and stick with it. Personally, I stick with a dish up to level 10, since it also gives a reward item that you can display in your resto. At least one level 10 dish gives you a reward, which you can upgrade when you level up a total of 5 dishes. A total of 20 dishes at level 10 gives you the rank of a Gourmet Chef. Don't just level up a dish because you happen to have the ingredients at that time. You might need that ingredient to trade so you can level up your primary dishes. Concentrate on getting one dish from each category to a high level first.
4. Dishes that require one of each ingredient may make life easier for you, rather than leveling up dishes that require two (even three!) of the same ingredients. Randomness will come into play so that you get an average number of each items. But of course, if it's your goal to level up a cheese board dessert requiring 3 cheeses per level, be my guest :)
Resto City made an update lately. A new feature allows you to broadcast to your friends at least three ingredients you need, so they can be guided on what to trade you. That also means a complete list of ingredients is now more readily available. I'll update on that next time when the servers are up.
That's it for now. Happy playing!
This game may not reach the top of a gamer's Richter scale, but hey, it's a game! I think this is a promotional or teaser for a game of the same title that you can purchase. It's a simple turn-based challenge game. The first time you login (after the customary registration process and email verification, the relevance of which nowadays I am beginning to question - but I digress), you are asked to choose your faction and become either an Autobot or a Decepticon. After that, you will be asked to choose and name one of the standard robots (there's an unlock feature for a special robot, I don't know how you get one, maybe when you buy the game). Then, you are taken to a screen where you can distribute an initial set of points on key battle attributes of your robot such as strength in use of weapon, agility, dodge, armor strength, etc. Reminds me of the way you distribute stat points on your MMORPG character.
Now, begins the fun part. You click on a button that takes you to a War Room. Once there, you can search for (or filter) a list of online players that you can challenge (if they are on the opposing faction). A challenge can either be accepted (an Advance) or ignored/declined (a Retreat). If accepted, a five-round match is set, wherein you need to budget the strength of your offenses (Primary Weapon, Secondary Weapon, and Hand-to-Hand Combat) throughout the entire match, as well as your form of defense (Dodge, Block, etc.). The challenging player will set up his offense/defense and this is communicated to the opponet, who will then set up his own offense/defense. Like in turn-based games, an outcome is determined by the system algorithm and a winner emerges. Each win counts as a point, and a loss is a deduction. But I don't know if this has anything to do with leveling up and acquiring additional stat points.
The idea is quite fun, and can be engaging for a while, especially if you are doing something else in your computer that does not require too much attention. Some players have so many wins or total battles in their profile that I wonder how much time they clocked on this simple game. However, I find the time controls a bit long, especially the initial challenge, wherein your opponent is allowed a full minute to accept or decline. That is an eternity considering you can only engage in one battle at a time. The FAQs are helpful in terms of the battle itself, but is quite silent on other aspects such as the all-important leveling (I don't even know if there is such a feature). I think it would also help if there is some sort of modifications that you can do to your bot as it progresses. Maybe there is, but I haven't been around that long.
Just click on the pic at the top to get you to the site.
I tried Restaurant City out of curiosity and simply because I haven't been playing any other game at the moment. It's a SIMs-type game that you can access through Facebook. The concept of the game is to manage a restaurant by hiring employees, learning menus, and improving the overall look and feel of your restaurant by buying new equipment such as tables, chairs, etc. The game is still in beta, but I have to say I am loving it. For the totally new to the game, here's a quick rundown of the main features of the game:
That's it for now. I am also just starting to understand the game, so I will be sharing my experiences on this game as I move on. I will also devote a post for a specific area of RC.
