Monthly Archives: October 2009

We’re Playing Monstrous And Spooky Games on Shockwave!

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Halloween is almost here and I’m spending my last moments before Trick or Treating (yes, I still go Trick or Treating) with all the Shockwave Monsters.  I’ve gathered them all up in one place where they’re waiting to shoot, hit and run and finally R.I.P. Whether you’re up for a grave shift, in the mood to pop some eye balls, or want to become The Pretender I’ve got you covered.

If you’re not scarred enough, there are some Spooky Download Specials.   I’m enjoying some legendary stories by the campfire, peeking into the Dracula Files and getting hooked on the spooktacular Fishdom sequel.

However, I must confess that my all-time Halloween game favorites are the special treats found in Daily Jigsaw and The Daily Diff.  Check ‘em out, ‘cause the special images and game trophies will be gone once the ghosts and zombies return to their graves.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Carrie The Caregiver: Girl Time

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Hey everyone…hope you’ve all been enjoying the gorgeous fall weather as much as we have!

Everything’s fine with us… working, playing and generally just loving the season. One thing on my mind lately, though, is that the kids actually seem to be getting a bit jealous of all the time Will and I have spent together alone these last few weeks.

All I can say is that this NEVER would have happened back in Northwood, when we were all running off in different directions doing our own thing. Back then, getting the gang together for dinner was next to impossible… and now that’s something we do almost every night!

Anyway, I’ve been missing them too, so Will and I decided to divide and conquer. He’s got a ton of father-son stuff lined up this week with Peter – fishing, basketball, even some driving lessons. (Hopefully, that’ll include chopping some wood for the stoves, too!) That leaves Safi, Grettle, Pearl and I together for some serious girl time.

I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it… especially since I want the chance to hear a bit about Safi’s new boyfriend. Yes – it’s true! My little girl has her first serious boyfriend :) Of course, Safi being Safi, we had to hear about it from Peter. They met when Safi started working on the school paper last month – David’s the editor, in fact – and Peter thinks he’s a really great guy. He’s a tough brother to please, so that makes me feel a lot better.

I know Will won’t be thrilled that David’s a year older than Safi, but I doubt he’d be totally happy with any boy she would bring home. Nobody’s good enough for his girl, I guess!

Will let you know what I can find out… Gosh – I can’t believe what a meddling mum I’ve become :)

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Coming Soon: Kitchen Brigade

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Congratulations, you have been selected as a contestant for the TV show Kitchen Brigade! Over the next 66 days, you must successfully open and manage 7 different restaurants.

Manage your 3 chefs in order to serve your customers efficiently. When the orders start piling up, give your chefs a hand by playing cooking mini-games! Serve enchiladas, clam chowder, chicken satay, and over 50 other recipes! Build the perfect kitchen by adding grills, ovens, mixers, and much more! It’s up to you to win the Kitchen Brigade TV Competition!

If you enjoy preparing delicious dishes and tasty treat, check our Shockwave’s collection of cooking games.

More upcoming releases are coming to Shockwave. Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy these great new games:
• The Conjurer 10/30
• Sally’s Quick Clips
• Save Our Spirit
• Zulu’s Zoo
• Night of the Scarecrows

We appreciate your feedback and game suggestions and want you to know that we read every single one of them. While we strive to respond to as many requests as possible, we will not be able to respond to everyone individually. Check back here next week, and we’ll post a response addressing the week’s most commonly requested games.

Shockwave is Vamping it Up

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Get in the Halloween spirit with The Dracula Files, a new vampire-themed hidden object download game coming to Shockwave on October 27. Vampires are all the rage–learn more about trends in vampire art and media in this blog article from our friends at MTV.com, featuring comic writer and Dracula aficionado Tony Lee.


Tricks & Tips: R.I.P

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With Halloween only a week away, I thought I’d help you get your ghouly game on with some tips for the game R.I.P. In this spooky puzzle game, lost souls represented as ghosts are trying to get to their final resting space. With the help of some spider webs and some scissors, you must guide them to their graves and set them free. The game looks easy enough, but trust me it gets tough. There is a lot going on, but I have a couple of tips that may help you get it all done just a little faster.

- Don’t pass up the scissors. When you collect a set of scissors and don’t use them in that level, they carry over to the next level. As you get further in the game, things get more and more tricky, meaning you may need those scissors to cut your way out of a mistake!
- Draw your lines up. Just because the souls are drifting down doesn’t mean you can’t get them back up to catch some bonus points! Shoot your lines up to make sure you cover the whole level. You will get higher scores for sure!
- More points means more rewards! To max out your tokens in this game, you’ll need super high scores, and the only way to get a really high score is to collect all of the bonus points. Leaving precious points behind can cost you in the end.

I hope you found these tips to be helpful! You should have all the help you need now, so I expect to see you haunting R.I.P’s high score board soon! Thanks for playing and have a Spooky and Safe Halloween!

Behind the Scenes - Nat Geo Games

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Shockwave recently caught up with National Geographic’s Chris Mate, VP/GM of the Interactive Entertainment Group, to talk about their most recent game release; Lost City of Z. Keep reading for an insightful peek at what goes into making a true story of exploration and adventure into a captivating game around the history of the fabled exploration of Z.

The Spark: What was the inspiration behind Lost City of Z?
Chris: The story of the Lost City of Z dates back to 1753. The Lost City of Z was said to be an ancient Maya civilization that existed in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. Col. Percy Harrison Fawcett and his son Jack disappeared in 1925 allegedly while searching for the lost city. This compelling back story along with the recent National Geographic Channel show following a modern day National Geographic Explorer on a mission to find evidence of the city and the fate of Col. Fawcett combined to convince us that the subject of Z would make for a great game.

The Spark: How did the game evolve over time?
Chris: Our head of development and Merscom, our development partner for Z, collaborated on a back story that incorporated this particular subject. From there we reviewed the research, assets and media Nat Geo has and from all of this information the teams crafted a viable game setting and detail relative to the location’s typography, indigenous population and native wildlife. A back story script was then written and the game began to take shape. The actual game itself remained true to the initial concept from inception to completion with the exception of the typical code and feature tweaks associated with this type of fast tracked development.

The Spark: What makes The Lost City of Z unique?
Chris: We try to create objects that are true to the period, relative to the game and location. Many of these games use the same object database and the developers know which types of objects most players favor so you will see those in every game. We do more customization in order to produce a more authentic feel. Lastly, because we operate a world renowned video production house we are able to incorporate high quality video into our games. This video helps tell the story and adds another unique game element to a Nat Geo Game. You will see more and more video – moving to a higher resolution soon - from us as file size restriction continue to lessen.
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Carrie The Caregiver: Just Us

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I’m afraid my poor, dear hubby is going to fall asleep over the jam pot this morning.

Even though we just got back from our romantic anniversary getaway, we’ve both been pretty busy playing catch-up this week. Don’t get me wrong… the kids and Grettle handled things like champs while we were gone, but you know how it is – getting things back the way I like them takes a bit of time.

Anyway, because of all the hard work they did covering for us, Will and I decided to give everyone a few days off. Peter’s got an away game with his basketball team this week, and Safi’s up to her eyeballs in some big story for the school paper, so they definitely could use the time. Even Grettle’s got a lot going on these days, between the new photography class she’s taking and the fact that she’s insisting on bringing Pearl to a new “Grandma-and-Me”class at the local rec center.

So that just leaves Will and me at the store this week….which means I’m kinda hoping things don’t get too busy. And between you and me, I’m pretty pooped myself today. (Safi and Peter, you might want to avert your eyes for a moment…) Will and I were up really late last night, um, talking ;)

Ugh. Can’t stop yawning! Gotta make sure I visit the R&R shed this morning…. I’d hate to be snoring when I should be pouring!

* * *

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Coming Soon: The Conjurer - A Magical Mystery

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On October 30th, uncover the secrets of the world’s greatest magicians in The Conjurer, a hidden object journey of illusion where nothing is as it seems!

The world’s greatest magician has decided to retire but has one final performance up his sleeve. He has invited the remaining top ten illusionists of the era to his castle for a night of incredible feats. Each will perform their finest routine for the conjurer and whoever impresses him the most wins all of his coveted secrets. That’s what they all believe but little do they know that hidden motives swirl throughout the castle walls. Someone is out to kill the master magician and he’s about to find and expose the guilty party! Investigate each of the ten illusionists by helping them perform their amazing feats. Use your powers of perception to locate props in beautiful Victorian-era locations. Slip past fiendish puzzles and hide from shadowy figures. Find the culprit before it’s too late!

More upcoming releases are coming to Shockwave. Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy these great new games:
• Gemini Lost - 10/22
• Campfire Legends
• The Dracula Files
Magic Academy 2

We appreciate your feedback and game suggestions and want you to know that we read every single one of them. While we strive to respond to as many requests as possible, we will not be able to respond to everyone individually. Check back here next week, and we’ll post a response addressing the week’s most commonly requested games.

Carrie The Caregiver: Pandemonium

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Phew… I’m back.

As you may have noticed, the kids and Grettle did a great job handling things around here while Will and I were out of town. I must admit I had my doubts at first, but they really pulled together as a team and made things happen. Safi and Peter, if you’re reading this, I’m extra proud of you two – Grettle told me you looked after each other and the customers with style and grace!

Looking back now over the last couple of months, I’m more certain than ever that moving here from Northwood was the right thing to do. The kids are reconnecting with each other and rising beautifully to the challenges we’ve given them. I swear… they hardly even watch TV anymore :) None of us do… we seem to just enjoy spending time together and being outdoors.

Anyway, it’s a good thing Will and I had the chance to get away last week, because we were thrown back into the lion’s den as soon as we got home. Yes, my friends, pandemonium has a color… and it’s purple! We’ve got a total of five fruits going now, and the fall foliage season is peaking, which means more customers than ever thanks to a steady stream of tour buses stopping in front of the store.

I have a feeling it’s all going to be okay, though. One thing I’ve learned for sure since we decided to embark on this wild family adventure is that the easiest way out of a tough situation is to unite and conquer.

Yup… it’s exactly what I hoped would happen, so I say bring it on!

Wait a sec… did I really just say that? I must be nuts! I guess our little weekend getaway really did recharge my batteries. But from the looks of that line I see starting to form at the store, I better get down there and inform Will he’ll be putting on his travel-agent hat again sometime soon…

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Coming Soon: Miriel’s Enchanted Mystery

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Miriel is back and hard at work running her mercantile and providing food supplies for the townspeople. Everything is business as usual until her grandmother shows up with a strange artifact of unknown origins. How did this mysterious object come to be? What secrets does it possess? Take the journey with Miriel and uncover a mystery that walks you down a path of ancient folklore, silent intrigue and mystical powers, but don’t forget about the mercantile. The people are still counting on you.

This is one mystery that will keep you entertained for hours!

More upcoming releases are coming to Shockwave. Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy these great new games:
Escape from Paradise 2
Hide & Secret 3: Pharaoh’s Quest
Slingo Mystery: Who’s Gold?
• Gemini Lost - 10/22

We appreciate your feedback and game suggestions and want you to know that we read every single one of them. While we strive to respond to as many requests as possible, we will not be able to respond to everyone individually. Check back here next week, and we’ll post a response addressing the week’s most commonly requested games.

Take a peek behind the scenes of Shockwave.com at The Shockwave Spark, an online gamers blog that keeps you up to date on the coolest titles, the hottest deals, and other newsworthy and buzz worthy tidbits. Get the scoop on the latest in online games, you'll have the chance to ask questions, comment on recent posts, and chat with the rest of the gaming blog community.

Of course, we appreciate your feedback on our gaming blog, including all your game suggestions. But, there's a lot of it! So, while we read every single one of our members' comments, we can only do so much. We'll get to as many requests as possible, but usually don't get a chance to respond to everyone individually. This is one popular online gamers blog! Check back each week and we'll post a response that addresses the most commonly requested games.

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