The Ville Doors to Riches: Collect your free modern items before they're gone

The third installment in the Ville's popular "Doors to Riches" feature has finally launched, giving players a chance to win seven different items for their homes in the game's current "Modern Retro" furniture theme. As with previous sets of Doors to Riches prizes, you'll be able to earn one prize over the next week, with items being earned by asking your friends to send you collectible items. Here's the complete list of prizes in this Modern Doors to Riches event:

Day 1: Apollo Coffee Table Black
Day 2: Tartan Loveseat Red
Day 3: Cube Rug Lava
Day 4: Tartan Sofa Red
Day 5: Apollo End Table Black
Day 6: Swan Chair White

If you can earn each of these six individual prizes, you'll receive the final grand prize with no additional work: the Freeze-o-matic Blue. This is a teal refrigerator for your kitchen. Just remember, this isn't a case where you've been given a lot of extra time to earn these items: you'll have just a week to earn them all, so you'll need to ask your friends for help every time the game allows you to do so. Good luck winning them all!

What do you think of this set of Modern prizes in the Doors to Riches event? Sound off in the comments!

The Ville Storage Shed Quests: Everything you need to know

For a few days now, we've known that additional item storage was coming to the Ville via an upcoming release of a Storage Shed, but the wait for that storage is now finally over! The Storage Shed has finally been released in the Ville, and of course there are some quests to complete to kick off this feature in full! We're here with a guide to finishing these quests, straight from Zynga, so let's get started!

Conspicuous Consumption

• Place Storage Shed
• Ask for 5 Workgloves
• Talk About Shed with Alexis 2 Times

The Workgloves are earned via individual requests that are sent to your Ville neighbors. Meanwhile, Alexis has now conveniently shown up in our homes, so you can quickly talk to her about the shed (twice) without having to search for her. You'll receive 75 coins and 2 XP for completing this quest.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

• Mow Grass 5 Times
• Plant 3 Flowers

Rewards: 75 coins, 2 XP

Into the Shed

• Build Shed
• Watch Home Improvement Show
• Search for Building Plans

The first level of the shed gives you 20 storage slots, but it requires plenty of building materials to construct. You'll need 10 Screwdrivers, five Workgloves, 10 Wood, 10 Hammers and five Screws, which are earned through a combination of general news posts on your wall and individual friend requests. Meanwhile, the Building Plans can be found by searching through items like bookshelves and desks. You'll earn 75 coins and two XP for completing this quest.

A Fresh Coat

• Store 3 Items
• Buy a New Couch
• Buy 2 New Paintings

Rewards: 75 coins, 2 XP

Surprise Inspection

• Ask friends for 7 Screws
• Collect 12 Wood
• Admire New Paintings Twice

Rewards: 75 coins, 2 XP

Shed Crashers

• Upgrade Shed
• Earn 2,000 coins
• Rummage Through 5 Cabinets

The first true shed upgrade gives you a storage boost to 60 additional items. You'll also receive 75 coins and two XP for completing this quest.

Kitchen Remodel

• Buy a New Kitchen Counter
• Buy a New Oven
• Cook a Cherry Pie

Rewards: Pineapple Surprise, 75 coins, 2 XP

The Latest and Greatest

• Buy 2 Electronics
• Place 20 Tiles
• Search for Loose Change in the Shed

Technically, the 20 floor tiles are supposed to be a path leading from your house to the shed, but it's likely that you can just purchase 20 tiles and place them anywhere to complete this quest. When you finish it, you'll receive another 75 coins and two XP.

If You Can't Beat 'Em

• Upgrade to a Premium Storage Shed
• Buy 2 Outdoor Decorations
• Plant 3 Flowers

The second (and for now final) expansion on the storage shed will give you a boost to 120 slots of item storage, more than doubling what we originally started out with (just 100 slots). Hopefully, additional shed upgrades will be released in the future, so we can fill our homes with even more lovely items for weeks and months to come! 

What do you think of this Storage Shed and its quests? Do you think you'll have any trouble completing them? Are 120 extra storage slots enough for you, or would you prefer the number to be even higher? Sound off in the comments! 

The Ville Progressive Price Gun: Everything you need to know

There are apparently no limits to the kinds of seemingly random cross-promotions we can see across Zynga's games, as we've seen Big Brother team up with Hidden Chronicles, a slew of credit cards come to FarmVille and now, the arrival of Flo from Progressive in the Ville. Flo's here with a simple request, as she's lost her price gun and needs us to help her find it! You'll be able to complete a single quest to do so, and will receive an exclusive item for your home if you finish off this quest before Flo takes off.

Shop Progressive

• Watch a Progressive Commercial
• Visit Progressive.com
• Visit Casey and Search for the Price Gun

The Progressive Commercial can be watched on a TV in your home, while visiting Progressive.com is done via a computer. Finally, you'll need to search Casey's furniture for the price gun to finish off this incredibly simple quest. When you've done that, you'll receive 75 coins, a single XP and a Flo-untain. This is a fountain statue that looks like Flo, of course.

There currently isn't a listed time limit on completing this quest, but I personally doubt it'd be around for anymore than a couple of weeks. Since it's so easy to complete, why not take a few seconds and finish it off for this exclusive, and definitely unique, prize.


What do you think of this Progressive cross-promotion in the Ville? Have you already completed this quest? Sound off in the comments!

The Ville Avatar Outfits: Everything you need to know

While there are dozens of different clothing and accessory items available to choose from in the Ville's clothing marketplace, sometimes it's nice to not have to think about color and pattern coordination and just pick an outfit with a single click. In comes the Ville's new "Outfits" feature that will allow you to do just that. While there are outfits available to choose from for both male and female avatars, it's definitely worth noting that these outfits are made of items you may already own, or individual clothing items that are already available to purchase in the store. This is more of a bundle deal, if you simply like the look of an outfit and don't wish to purchase its parts (including clothing, tattoos and accessories) separately. With that warning out of the way, let's take a look at the game's (fairly expensive) outfits!

Female Avatars

Ville Fan Girl - 3 Ville Cash
Hipster Sport - 5 Ville Cash
Pretty in Pink - 5 Ville Cash
Bohemian Beauty - 7 Ville Cash
Nautical Darling - 7 Ville Cash
Modern Edge - 9 Ville Cash
Sophisticated Sally - 11 Ville Cash
Little Black Number - 14 Ville Cash
Swan Princess - 14 Ville Cash

Male Avatars

Metro Mike - 4 Ville Cash
Bobby Basic - 5 Ville Cash
George Got Game - 8 Ville Cash
Utility Jack - 17 Ville Cash

It's no surprise that there are fewer male Outfits to choose from than female Outfits, as males have traditionally received less clothing items in every Ville update anyway. Hopefully, if this Outfits feature grows to include more original clothing items, males won't be left so out in the cold at that point. Stay tuned for more!

What do you think of these Outfits? Were you expecting completely new clothing items, or are you ok with these bundles of items, some of which you may already own? Sound off in the comments!

Zynga slaps back at EA over The Ville, is prepared to go to court

The FarmVIlle house just turned up the heat on the case of Zynga v. EA , or rather The Ville v. The Sims Social. Zynga has publicly released its reply to EA and has filed a counterclaim in San Francisco court in hopes of striking down the storied publisher's argument that Zynga has infringed upon EA's copyrights on The Sims franchise. In short, it's about to go down.

"Today we responded to EA's claims which we believe have no merit," Zynga General Counsel Reggie Davis said in a release. "We also filed a counterclaim which addresses actions by EA we believe to be anticompetitive and unlawful business practices, including legal threats and demands for no-hire agreements. We look forward to getting back to focusing all our efforts on delighting our players."

As part of its copyright infringement suit issued earlier this summer, EA cited numerous press analyses of Zynga's games as proof that its claims had merit. Zynga seems to think that it was all poppycock. Zynga has outright asked the courts to strike that part of EA's argument down entirely, claiming that it serves "no purpose other than to try to portray Zynga in a bad light."

"In sharp contrast to the confined inquiry that single claim requires, EA's Complaint is an unrestrained ramble of immaterial, inflammatory, and prejudicial allegations that have no bearing on the issue at hand," the counterclaim reads. "These allegations are so patently irrelevant to the case that they appear geared more towards inciting the press coverage they generated than contributing to legal analysis. Zynga therefore moves to strike them."

Could Zynga have a point? There's quite a lot of meat (and legalese) to this three-part counterclaim, and we'll have to comb through the rest of it before answering that question. After all, this could very well be the largest copyright battle that either Zynga or EA have ever fought. Who's buying the popcorn?

Are you on the side of EA or Zynga on this one? Which of the two do you like better: The Ville or The Sims Social? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment 

Dirty Laundry Quests - The Ville

It's a good thing that the Ville's clothing catalog is so large, as our virtual characters have had no way of washing their clothing, save for throwing them in the sink or bathtub (and let's face it - that's not fun). That all changes now, however, as washers and dryers have officially launched in the game's store! A set of quests have also been released to help introduce us to these major appliances, and we're here with a guide to finish them off, thanks to Zynga.

Consumer Review

• Buy a Spin 'N Swirl Washer
• Build the Spin 'N Swirl Washer
• Search for 3 Laundry

The washer costs 3,200 coins to purchase in the game's store. You'll see other washers and dryers that are available for Ville Cash also available for purchase, but you can stick with the coin options for the time being. Finishing the Washer requires a slew of building materials, which can be purchased with Ville Cash, or earned through a combination of general news items and individual requests sent your neighbors. You'll need the following to build the washer:

• 6 Pajamas
• 6 Screwdrivers
• 6 Detergents
• 6 Soap
• 6 Laundry
• 6 Bleach

The Laundry itself can also be found by clicking on items around your house (sofas and chairs, as examples) and then clicking on "Search." You'll receive 100 coins and 5 XP for completing this first quest.

Neighborhood Wash

• Buy Laundry Basket
• Get 2 Detergent
• Use Washer 1 Time

The Laundry Basket is available to purchase in the game's store, under the "Decorations" section of the Kitchen tab. It costs 1,200 coins. Meanwhile, you can use your newly built washer to earn that Detergent. When you finish this quest, you'll receive 75 coins and 2 XP.

A Blank Canvas

• Complete the Character Sketch Job on a Portrait Easel
• Wash Sophie's Painting
• Ask friends for 5 Bleach

Rewards: 75 coins, 2 XP

Triple Batch

• Buy and Build a Spin 'N Swirl Dryer
• Make 2 Cookie Dough
• Toss Dough in Dryer

The matching Spin 'N Swirl Dryer costs 2,800 coins, making it cheaper than the washer, but still definitely not a bargain. It must also be built from the ground up, and you'll earn 100 coins and 5 XP when you complete this quest.

Surprise Inspection

• Add a New Room to your House
• Use Your Washer and Dryer 2 Times
• Tell Alexis What You Think of Them

You'll earn another 100 coins and 2 XP for completing this quest. For the record, there still isn't a specific "Laundry Room" available in the game's store, but there are many other room options available for purchase.

So Fresh, So Clean

• Flirt with 4 Neighbors
• Find Your Mojo 3 Times
• Wash Jake's Outfit in the Washer

Finding Your Mojo is completed by simply clicking on another character and choosing the appropriate option (the same goes for flirting). You'll earn 75 coins and two XP when you finish this quest.

A New Approach

• Give Ethan a Pep Talk
• Get a Flapjack Ironing Board
• Iron Ethan's Clothes Twice

The Flapjack Ironing Board is another decoration that can be purchased from the Kitchen section of the store. It costs 1,520 coins to purchase, but doesn't require any building after that. Finishing this quest gives you 75 coins and two XP.

Stain-Fighting Action!

• Collect 5 Dirty Clothes
• Make Cherry Lemonade
• Use the Washer and Dryer 3 Times

You'll be able to find the Dirty Clothes by visiting your friends' homes and clicking on their items to do a "Dirty Clothes Search." When you complete this quest, you'll earn 100 coins and 2 XP.

The Final Review

• Empty the Laundry Basket
• Use the Washer and Dryer 4 times
• Iron Clothes 3 Times

Rewards: 400 coins, 5 XP

Luckily, there's no time limit on finishing these quests as of this writing, so feel free to take your time purchasing and building this washer and dryer until you're really prepared for the slew of work that goes along with them. Just remember, if you don't have these items in your game yet, you'll need to be at least Level 10 to receive these quests, so hop to it!

Play The Ville on Zynga.com now --->

What do you think of this introduction of washer and dryers into the Ville? Sound off in the comments!

The Ville's: These 1960's design items are groovy, man

Time travel may not exist, but that hasn't stopped the Ville from taking a virtual trip back in time to the era of mod furniture and groovy patterns. A new set of "mod" items are now available to purchase in the game's store, but only for a limited time. We're here with a complete look at the game's new items, which are available for either Ville Cash or coins as you might expect. Let's get started!

Tartan Loveseat Yellow

• Costs: 1,800 coins
• Home Value: $1,980
• Pays Out: 50 coins, 16 Happiness

Tartan Sofa Yellow

• Costs: 2,100 coins
• Home Value: $2,310
• Pays Out: 50 coins, 16 Happiness

Apollo Coffee Table Brown

• Costs: 14 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $3,300

Tartan Loveseat Blue

• Costs: 17 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $4,400
• Pays Out: 75 coins, 20 Happiness

Tartan Sofa Blue

• Costs: 19 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $4,400
• Pays Out: 75 coins, 20 Happiness

Vinyl Sofa Yellow

• Costs: 1,800 coins
• Home Value: $1,980
• Pays Out: 50 coins, 16 Happiness

Vinyl Loveseat Blue

• Costs: 17 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $4,400
• Pays Out: 75 coins, 20 Happiness

Vinyl Sofa Blue

• Costs: 19 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $4,400
• Pays Out: 75 coins, 20 Happiness

Vinyl Loveseat Yellow

• Costs: 1,500 coins
• Home Value: $1,650
• Pays Out: 50 coins, 16 Happiness

Tartan Chair Yellow

• Costs: 550 coins
• Home Value: $605
• Raises Maximum Happiness by 50 points

Tartan Chair Red

• Costs: 5 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $3,300
• Raises Maximum Happiness by 50 points

Tartan Chair Blue

• Costs: 14 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $3,300
• Raises Maximum Happiness by 50 points

Vinyl Chair Yellow

• Costs: 450 coins
• Home Value: $495
• Raises Maximum Happiness by 50 points

Vinyl Chair Red

• Costs: 5 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $3,300
• Raises Maximum Happiness by 50 points

Vinyl Chair Blue

• Costs: 14 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $3,300
• Raises Maximum Happiness by 50 points

Wallpapers

• Costs: 10 coins per square
• Home Value: $1 per square

Apollo End Table Brown

• Costs: 7 Ville Cash
• Home Value: $2,200

These items will only be available in the game's store for the next two weeks, but I'd be willing to bet that more items will be released in the theme before all is said and done. Stay tuned for more, as we'll make sure to let you know if and when that happens.

Play The Ville on Zynga.com now --->

What do you think of these mod themed items in The Ville? Sound off in the comments!

The Ville Greenhouse Quests: Everything you need to know

A few days ago, we brought you a sneak preview of the upcoming Greenhouse feature in the Ville, which has now officially launched in the game alongside a set of quests. Apparently, Ethan has a mighty crush on Casey and wants to grow a special flower for her. He needs our help, and we'll need to build a Greenhouse to get started. We're here with a guide to completing these Greenhouse quests, so let's get started!

The Special Gift

• Place the Ultimate Greenhouse
• Read Gardening 101 Twice
• Ask Ethan About the Next Steps

You can only read the Gardening book once every eight hours, but luckily, you can also visit your friends' houses and read the book there, saving you time. When you finish this first quest, you'll receive 75 coins and 2 XP.

Stop and Smell the Roses

• Study 2 Violet Roses at Casey's House
• Study 2 Orange Tulips at Casey's House
• Build the Ultimate Greenhouse

The Ultimate Greenhouse requires friends to "staff," rather than building materials, so you'll need to ask six of your neighbors to help you out. Meanwhile, the flower tasks are just as they are described. A new option will be available for you to "study" the four flowers at Casey's house the next time you visit. You'll receive another 75 coins and 2 XP for completing this quest.

The Casey Rose

• Buy 3 Roses
• Collect Standard Rose Seeds
• Collect 6 Fertilizer

You'll need to bloom red, white, yellow, pink or violet roses to receive seeds, and can ask your friends to send you Fertilizer to finish off this quest. You'll receive 125 coins and 5 XP for completing it.

Drumroll, Please...

• Create a Hybrid Rose
• Grow the Hybrid Rose
• Present the Hybrid Rose to Casey

You'll be able to create the Hybrid Rose in your Greenhouse, and can then click on the flower until it finally blooms. You'll receive two XP, 75 coins and the Everbloom Purple Rose for completing this quest.

Mulcher Madness

• Build the Power Mulcher
• Collect 8 Mulcher Manual Pages
• Get Mulching Tips from Ethan

The Power Mulcher is purchased in the store, under the store's "outdoors" section. You'll be able to earn the Mulcher Manual Pages by posting a general request on your wall for all of your neighbors to see. Finishing this quest rewards you with 125 coins and 5 XP.

Tulips: the New Rose!

• Use the Power Mulcher 4 Times
• Create a Hybrid Tulip
• Grow the Hybrid Tulip

Rewards: 125 coins, 5 XP

Loves Me, Loves Me Not

• Invite Over Casey
• Discuss Flowers with Casey
• Present the Hybrid Tulip to Casey

Rewards: 75 coins, 2 XP

Back to the Drawing Board

• Discuss Casey with Ethan
• Research Rare Plants
• Discuss Casey with Madison

To research Rare Plants, you'll need to once again click on bookshelves, either in your own home or in a neighbor's. When you complete this simple quest, you'll receive an Everbloom Blue Tulip, 75 coins and 2 XP.

Third Time's a Charm

• Build the Tropic 100 Humidifier
• Collect 8 Premium Tiger Lily Seeds
• Move 4 Items Around in Your Yard

The Tropic 100 Humidifier can be purchased for 2,250 coins in the game's store. Meanwhile, you'll need to either mulch plants or bloom blue, striped, multi-colored or ultimate tiger lilies to collect Premium Tiger Lily Seeds. You'll receive 200 coins and 10 XP when you complete this quest.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

• Create the Ultimate Tiger Lily
• Grow the Ultimate Tiger Lily
• Help Ethan Plan His Romantic Evening

To help Ethan, you'll simply need to click on him and choose the new dialog option about "Planning the Romantic Evening." You'll earn 75 coins and five XP for finishing this quest.

Setting the Mood

• Have a Wine Rack
• Place a Romantic Candle
• Place Passion Bouquet

The Wine Rack can be purchased in the store, while the Romantic Candle and Passion Bouquet can be crafted in the Craft Arts Table and Crafty Gardening Table, respectively.

Damage Control

• Make Small Talk with Casey Twice
• Present Ultimate Tiger Lily to Casey
• Call Ethan

Rewards: Everbloom Striped Tiger Lily, 2 XP, 75 coins

Apparently, even after all of this work, Ethan still won't be able to build up the nerve to tell Casey how he feels. Maybe sometime the poor fellow will take another chance at it, and if that day ever comes (and comes with new quests), we'll make sure to let you know. In the meantime, we wish you luck completing these complex quests in your game!

[Via and image credit: Zynga]

What do you think of these flower-themed quests in the Ville? Were you hoping that the Greenhouse would have another purpose, like perhaps storing our garden plots? Sound off in the comments!

The Ville Doors to Riches: European Rustic items now up for grabs

If you're a fan of the European Rustic items that have been released in the Ville marketplace over the past couple of weeks, but don't have the Ville Cash or coins necessary to purchase some of your favorite items, you'll want to make sure and take part in this week's installment of the Doors to Riches event, as this week's prizes are, appropriately enough, in the European Rustic theme!

Two of the six items are already available to earn, but we're here with a complete look at the full selection of prizes for your reference:

• Day 1: Blue Riviera Couch
• Day 2: Blue Riviera Loveseat
• Day 3: Nouvelle Double Mocha Bed
• Day 4: Deja Vu Mirror
• Day 5: Nouvelle Nightstand
• Day 6: Versailles Rug

The requirements for each of these items differs, but you'll need to earn the necessary prizes by either sending out individual requests to your neighbors or posting a general request on your news feed. If you can win one of each of the six prizes above, a special seventh prize will be yours for the taking: Le Observateur, a painting for your wall.

Remember to continue to login to your Ville game as often as possible so that you can continue to ask for these items before they expire. It's likely that this Doors to Riches feature will continue to update each week for the foreseeable future, so stay tuned for more!

What do you think of this week's prizes in the Doors to Riches feature? Were you able to earn all of the items in the first Doors to Riches event? Sound off in the comments!