2x Mastery Boost

The 2x Master Boost was introduced today. I've used it a few times: when you get one, you are allowed to send one. A few odd things about this boost:

- Once you accept a gifted boost, it becomes available a few jobs later
- Once you use the boost (which is immediate after it becomes available) you can send one to mafia members. The members recommended to me seemed inactive, so I wonder if I will get any back?

I used mine on some LV jobs costing LV$10,000. I would have used it on one needing consumables, but I am not trying to complete districts 7 and 8 just yet.

Dublin, mini-cities - and how to beat them

Zynga has introduced a number of mini-city "challenges" and this article examines completing the challenges easily and efficiently. Some of these challenges have been easier than others but each challenge involves acquiring many consumable items to perform a series of time-driven jobs.

All of these jobs offer good loot upon completing each "big", time-oriented job tier. In Dublin the first of these is "Euro Train." More specifically, the Euro-Train is open for 5 days before the second tier and those two are unlocked before a third. Each tier and each job in a tier must be finished before the next is unlocked.

As you perform the job consumables are used: for Dublin they consumables are Stout Ale's. Once a certain number of jobs are done, the "heat meter" reaches amber, then red. At each level (nothing, amber and red) more consumables and more energy are required do the job.

Each job gives 1 stat point once 100% complete. In Dublin you also get a loot item! Hence the "4x loot" - one loot item for each of the jobs in the tier.

What is the best way to approach these challenges? First, you need lots of the consumables, ranging from hundreds to thousands for the individual challenge. Dublin gives you plenty of time, so it is a little easier than previous challenges; the less time alloted the more quickly you have to do jobs at low energy, i.e., when the heat meter resets after 8 hours.

Second you need energy. When you do one job, you probably want to do the maximum number you can without really hurting your long-term chances. I'm a little vague here because of a few different strategies (below). But you want to do at least 6 jobs at once. If you are low on consumables, you can get more by doing jobs - even 2 energy jobs in NYC!

I've tried these challenges with all sorts of characters. The key to these challenges is to not fall behind. This leads to two strategies I've used and liked:

1. Do the job EVERY 8 hours. Do it no matter what. Do the job only while it is not even at amber level.

2. Do the job every 8 hours - but if you can't (e.g., from working) get AHEAD of the challenge. I had lots of Stout Ales, so started the job on an energy pack level and went all the way through the red category. That gave me about 2 free days worth of not worrying about finishing the job. However, to do this I not only burned thousands of extra energy points and lots of Stout Ales, but I also waited to finish my energy pack for hours - and went to sleep - for the challenge to BEGIN at 8 am my time. But at least I got far enough ahead to not worry about it while at work.

Happy Hunting!

Beating Bosses - visiting San Juan

Zynga has had a few promotions like the San Juan promotion that is currently underway. We love them: they are engaging and they offer great loot. Please note that when I talk about these fights, I am talking about fighting at the highest level: lower level fights are easier.

There are a number of guidelines you should keep in mind in order to win at these:

1. Make sure you have enough stamina. I've completed all the promotions like these ones, usually several times. The San Juan promotion requires a HUGE amount of stamina: if you don't have 1000 stamina, help someone on the higher tiers because...

2. Helping people is very useful. If you don't have the stamina to beat these guys yourself you can get almost all the items - sometimes all of them - by helping people. I've seen people get items after doing 0 damage. You need to be in the top 5 helpers (ie in the top 5 of damage done) to get the item from the boss. If the player winning gets an item AND a bonus item, you generally get both.

Even if you already have the item, the combat pays decent XP and money and gives you XP after the fight.

3. Different rules apply for these combats than traditional bosses. Zynga has really loosened up these bosses over time: you can re-enter a combat after "dying", but that is a separate entrance and you can only enter 25 per day. The weapons and aids are MUCH more effective than in regular boss fights: a shiv does 30% bonus damage (not 30 points like in regular fights), the health kit is a full health refill (not a fraction), and the stun gun stuns the boss twice (not once).

4. There is lots of time for the fights. So you can fight, die, fight, die, fight, die, level for more stamina, etc. These fights have been taking hours at level 3 - but they do provide great loot.

Daily Lottery - Changes you need to know about!

We've all played the daily lottery, but there is an important change you need to know about.

Whenever you play the lottery, you can redeem a reward based upon the number of tickets you have played. Long ago you could guarantee yourself of getting a lottery item by requesting a reward after six tickets. Until recently you could get 1-5 reward points with a good chance of getting at least three points.

Recently, on the 5th time I spoke with Zynga personnel, they admitted that the chance of getting 1 point is not the same as getting 5 points. The last 7 times I have submitted for 1-5 reward points, I've gotten one point. So now I am getting more lottery tickets in hopes of winning lottery items. I have had several collections of the lottery items over time, and they are VERY valuable, so the extra tickets are probably the best thing you can get now.