Back in Black

There's trouble afoot and a new criminal gang to worry about...

Yes, recently captured Mayor Witherwood has fessed up some info in return for leniency, Amy Steele is back in town and has her eyes set higher than just messing with our Harvest Festival, she's looking to start a brand new crew to cause mischief...

So, seems it's time for us, and the lawfolk of the Frontier to get together and track down devious cowgirl and her new associates... Although first we have to find out who those associates are...

As usual, we'll see a popup to start...

From there it's a fairly basic 5 mission thread, with one wrapper today and an associated wrapper on Monday (all details HERE) and a 4 step "story" build, so not a building as such, but storyline sections (all details HERE).

We will have a couple new placeable decoration/buildings... but these are something special. It's the Brambles and the Quarry...

These buildings are more than just the standard items however, they'll also double up as Thorn and Rock Storage! Yes, Debris Storage is starting!

Each will store 8 (16 on completion of missions) items of debris, Thorns in the Brambles, Rocks in the Quarry. There is a cooldown between putting items in (16 hours, then 8 hours after completing missions) and you can decide whether to clear one item or all of them.

There's only one "new" or different item in the missions which is a mechanic a little like Ted's Chests/Analysers or the Nature Shrine/Spirits. See, we need to get information from Mayor Witherwood and when we do it turns out we're going to have to save some animals in distress!

First up the information... that comes from tying Mayor Witherwood to an Interrogation Chair or Bed...

Don't worry, there's minimal waterboarding or sleep deprivation... instead we'll be asking for one of two wall post items, the Bed uses Bad Poetry Books (I bet it's the Young Lady From Cairo) and the Chair uses Tickling Feathers.

Once you've weasled some info out of him, he'll drop an animal in distress, the Hogtied Hog, Time-BAAmb Sheep or Railroad Heffer...

All three of these are healed with the SAME item, a wall post item, Rope Cutters.

They then give out Collection items, there is a collection for this mission, Amy's Hideout, which will be needed to trade in, HOWEVER, these aren't really random but instead come from specific animals.

The Hogtied Hog drops the first two, the Time-BAAmb Sheep drops the third and fourth items and the Railroad Heffer drops the final item, all when fully healed.

There's also one free gift crop...

...and a few new market items for the mission!

There's also a couple new boosts, including one Craftable for Monday, that will let you call a Groundhog onto your stead!

So, Deputy Badges on!

Thanks and Giving

It's Thanksgiving and the Wikiwah Tribe are so thankful for all we've done for them this year they want to throw some of their traditional games for us to play and to teach us Wikiwah talents.

So, if you've ever wanted to dance, do pottery, shoot arrows or tell stories, this is the thread for you!

As usual things will start with a popup.

That will start a series of 8 two per day missions, a Thursday wrapper and a Monday wrapper (all details HERE). Although, no build, just a placeable, the Wikiwah Camp, where we'll be able to access the missions...

As usual, that'll bring up a mission screen where we'll see all 8 missions and be able to start them up.

We'll also see the two "extra" rewards for completing the first and second sets.

As for new stuff in this thread we'll see one new Free Gift Crop...

Which will be in the market alongside a new Coin Crop, and some extra mission based goodies...

That includes two healables, The Autumn Loom and Shooting Range and one decoration with a bonus the Pottery Tent. Each of the healables will be healed with 8 crafted items, and all details are in the relevant mission posts. The Pottery tent takes one item per use.

Finally we'll see a new collection!

So, time to play!

Snug as a Bear in a Rug

It's winter time on the homestead and that means only one thing for the local wildlife, it's time to Hibernate!

(If I'm honest while I'm typing this I can't feel my fingers so I might join them...)

Only problem is Ted is worried about the animals and whether, with all the upheaval of the drought etc, they've got the right amount of shelter to do it right...

So, in we step to save the day, build a Dormitarium and make sure the homestead animals are safe... including four very special ones, but more on that later... ;)

First up, a popup...

That will start a four mission thread with one wrapper now and one delayed wrapper on Monday (all details HERE) and a three step build (all details HERE) the Dormitarium.

The missions themselves are... ok, I'll say it, they're Partnering, but hold fire, because there are some differences.

Instead of buying animals at first you find them in Slipshod and Breezy Dens which are bought in the market...

The Slipshod Den is coins and can drop all four types, the Breezy one is a mission reward and horseshoe purchase and has a better chance of dropping rarer animals and can also drop a bundle of the feed.

These are healables that use 6 Transfer Cages (Slipshod)  or 4 Trails of Bait (Breezy) which are both 2 hour Wall Post items to pop out a partner animal...

when healed the dens will drop one of four different types of Hibernator and once you find a specific type they'll open up in the market to buy at your leisure. These are a variety, not one specific species, called Petite, Fuzzy, Spiky and Bear.

Each one is then fed with 17 Hibernation Kits (yes, 17!), which are crafted from 2 Hearty Acorns (New Valerian Crops or Oak Trees) and 3 Warm Jammies (Wall Post).

From there we'll see the usual manager and weighing screens with all animals needing to get over 101 BMI points to get a Gold Nightcap (these are just for show, no mission requirements). Oh, and no breeding ;)

They'll then become the normal different varieties... only, some of these are not so normal, because you remember me mentioning Special Animals? Well...

We've always been proud and honoured by our connections within the PT team. Well, we were chatting to one of the lovely Devs the other day and he sprung a little surprise on us...

They asked our permission to use our names (well, 4 of them, more later) and after we acted like giggling little fangirls and a fanboy, we said yes.

So, can I present, in alphabetical order... Ms Amy Munk, Andy Ursine, Foxy Marjo and Quill Gillian, four of us in animal form! (One will come from each different variety of the partner animals)

(If you want to see them animated, they're HERE)

We love them (obviously) and we think it's awesome how they took our Express theme and Postman Merc and worked it into these animals... If your favourite Admin isn't in the list don't worry, there's more plans! Obviously we are grateful beyond belief for this gift from Zynga :)

So, I will shake off my goosebumps (I'm a fanboy, what can I say?!) and on with the news... because there's more.

For new stuff we'll see the new free gift crop mentioned earlier...

...and a new collection which will drop the kits needed to feed the animals.

So, lets get Hibernating, Race to see who gets me first!

Admin-imals Animated! [UPDATED]

We've always been proud and honoured by our connections within the PT team. Well, we were chatting to one of the lovely Devs the other day and he sprung a little surprise on us...

They asked our permission to use our names (well, 4 of them, more later) and after we acted like giggling little fangirls and a fanboy, we said yes.

So, can I present, in animated form... Ms Amy Munk, Andy Ursine, Foxy Marjo and Quill Gillian, four of us in animal form! (One will come from each different variety of the partner animals)

 

NEW ARRIVALS! Yes, we can now introduce Jo the Cheerful Calf and Pat the Peppy Piglet to the list of Admin-imals :D

 

NEWER ARRIVALS! Yet more Admin-imals to enjoy :D Say hello to Lisa Shpig and Gemma Goaw!

We love them (obviously) and we think it's awesome how they took our Express theme and Postman Merc and worked it into these animals... If your favourite Admin isn't in the list don't worry, there's more plans! Obviously we are grateful beyond belief for this gift from Zynga :)

We give huge thanks to the PT team for this gift, the Devs for coding it and coming up with the idea (one in particular who I don't know if I can name but he'll read this hopefully and know who he is) and the art department who made us all look so good.

It's time for... Spring!?

[Caution: This thread contains naked Granny and is not appropriate for those of a nervous disposition.]

Yes, Spring is in the air on the homestead, well, actually no it's in the ground first, then in the air as we discover a series of healthy hot springs on the homestead that'll help heal the minds and bodies of the residents and also, from Monday, help us out with a little crop magic.

Of course, if we're going to make the most of these springs it means a few things... we have to make them work for us, test the waters that come from them and do our best to help any animals that might have been caught up in it...

As usual, we'll be greeted with a popup...

That will start off a series of five missions with a wrapper and one coming Monday (all details HERE) and a small build, a hot Spring which will transform into a fancy Frontier Bath House (all details HERE).

The Hot Spring/Bath House will also have a Telegraph Station-like daily bonus where it'll add up over the course of 5 days until you get a big prize at the end.

We'll also see a new sideboard on the right hand side for another bit of impressive artwork...

The missions themselves have a couple healable items, Aromatic Geysers that are healed with Testing Kits and Movin' Muds that use Cleaning Solutions. The first don't become anything, the second becomes a set of small critters, two of which we'll need during the missions. (Crafting requirements are in the mission posts)

Those will be in the market along with a new free gift crop, Cucumbers and a few other mission goodies.

The really great part of this thread will arrive on Monday with the extra wrapper, and that's the Mineral Spring that's part of the rewards.

This spring, that's full of nutrients perfect for crops has a trick up it's sleeve... passing a planted crop over the spring multiplies it and gives you extra crops! The amount will increase as the Hot Spring is expanded into the Bath House...

Finally, we will see a collection that'll drop a Steamin Crate which contains items for the missions.

All Is Safely Gathered In...

As autumn arrives it's time to settle in and give thanks for the crops and bounty we've received on the Homestead over the Summer with a good old fashioned Harvest Festival.

The table is set, the food is made, the Pandora's Box of devilish Imps has been opened and... wait, what?

Yes, it's the homestead folks, and nothing, but nothing, ever goes quite right.

As usual we'll start with a popup, and when that arrives, things look pretty hunky dory...

It launches a series of five missions then a Monday wrapper (all details HERE), and not so much a build but a 4 stage storyline (all details HERE) which will be tied into a new sideboard on the left hand side, where Storm Crow's Dying Forest is now.

That little art department masterpiece will change and grow as the missions are completed to finish as the perfect little Harvest Festival location.

But yes, back to those little black things running amok. It all starts with something that seems lovely, a big Holiday Basket but sadly someone who's not quite so keen on celebration has set a trap and opening it releases an unending supply of nasty little imps that are breaking our stuff and stealing our food! Looks like we'll have to stop them...

During the missions Pilfered Payloads will appear when clearing Grass, Rocks and Thorns, harvesting the new free gift crop, Harvest Gourds, collecting the Daily Bonus on the Basket and from the mission window.

They'll be opened with Harvest Retrieval Kits (Crafted with 3 Varmint Repellents (Wall Posts) and 3 Produce Baskets which drop from Collared Greens, a new coin crop) but aren't your standard healable item... Each time you heal them they'll change to a different style or a piece of debris on your stead and fire out boosts, crops and other goodies.

If they last through all 4 styles they can also drop a redeemed Imp, who has decided to change their ways and reform!

Of course, by the end of it all we'll have battled and won and have the perfect Harvest festival, just in time for Autumn...

Yes, Monday's mission brings with it something you've been telling us you want! Yes, it's Autumn colours and a pretty leaf covered land that should be easier on the eyes than the drought's cracked earth... But best of all, it's YOUR choice...

At the end of the mission we'll get a special decoration, the Weather Vane...

This wonderful little doodad will have the power to change our homestead for the season, so you can click it once placed and change your Oak Trees to get the yellows, oranges and reds of Autumn/Fall. We've also heard they're looking to add Winter and Spring as well at the right time because they want us to have more customisation options :)

So, what new things will we see? Well, one new free gift crop and one tree... along with one new COIN crop, the Collared Greens.

Along with a new collection!

So... let's eat, drink, be merry and look forward to those gorgeous colours of nature...