Thanks for tuning in, or, if you weren't able to join us for the live broadcast, here's you're chance to catch up:
The ninth episode of Mafia Wars Live! began with the introduction of our new host, "Don Perogi," who was accompanied by Mafia Wars Live! regular, "Month." Technical difficulties mangled the audio, so we won't be posting the video, but the answers to the player-submitted questions can be found below:
The Mighty One asked: Can the next loot design contest be better? I have 20 items designed and want to submit them under 2 levels of war tier loot.
Answer: That’s a great idea! We’ll definitely consider it for the future. We love to receive contest suggestions from the player community, so please share with us any you have by posting them in this forum thread. By the way, the submission deadline for the “Think Outside Of The Box” Crate Design Contest is fast approaching. Be sure to get your entries in by 11:59pm PDT on August 28th!
Scott.Carleone asked: How many war loots can we receive in one day?
Answer: You should be able to collect 5 per day.
Igtenos asked: Why oh why do you hate Exotic animal feed so much? And Special Parts? We've complained countless times DO NOT TAKE THESE ITEMS OFF THE GIFT PAGE yet here we are yet again with the Exotic Animal Feed taken off the gift page.
Answer: Ah, the eternal struggle to properly stock the free gifts page. We are constantly reevaluating the mix of things that appear on it. We appreciate your continued feedback about what should be on it. A great way to demonstrate the player community's interest in any particular change to the list is to post your suggestion as an idea on the Mafia Wars Get Satisfaction page and get others to show their support for your idea with "me too"s.
Markall42 asked: When will fight list/robbing loot be updated? If it does get updated, could a double fight loot weekend coincide with it?
Answer: It will still be a few weeks before the next fight loot refresh. We don’t like to do a double loot event right when new loot comes out because it wears out the excitement for the new loot too quickly. It is more likely that we will do a double loot event right before the new stuff gets released, so people have a chance to collect all the current items that they want.
Guillermo-br asked: Can we have a way to accept and return gifts with only 1 click?
Answer: We are eager to cut down on the number of clicks needed to send items to your friends. Unfortunately, there is some trickiness with Facebook request rules. But we are definitely looking into it.
Percues asked: Why is there an age limit on the loot contest? Annoys the hell out of me because I've been waiting and waiting and now I can't do crap with my item ideas.
Answer: Unfortunately, the legal paperwork involved in allowing minors to participate in contests is too complicated for us to make all contests open to entrants under the age of majority (18 in the USA). Similarly, the complexity of contest rules around the world make it difficult for us to allow participation or entries from non-USA countries. Both of these restrictions are, unfortunately, common to contests held by most companies.
Don Jimbo asked: How soon could a feature be included, possibly in the inventory section, to identify the items used in defense when a player was last attacked or if that player were attacked at that moment?
Answer: We recall this coming up in a previous episode of Mafia Wars Live!, so this makes 2 people who want such a feature... or the same person asking twice? Unfortunately, we would need quite a bit more interest in such a feature to consider devoting the time it would take to create.
Iamswaraj asked: Can we have a precious collection in all cities?
Answer: We can easily make precious collections for new cities, but that was brand new code that was created for Brazil. It would be hugely complex to apply it to old cities, so we don't currently have plans to do so.
MW-India asked: Can you introduce Robbing only HEL (high end loot)?
Answer: This was considered when we merged the fighting and robbing loot lists. It does sound cool, but having separate lists would mostly mean smaller, less frequent content refreshes for both systems, so players really do get cooler loot more often by not making items exclusive to robbing or fighting.
Not-a-Troll asked: When will the hitlist receive a higher importance in the game? There could be an objective in missions where you must knock 2-3 players off.
Answer: The hitlist exists to be more of a tool for players than a cornerstone of the game. It is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
Mr Ijan asked: Why does Zynga not discount the sales of Skill Points?
Answer: We actually have discounted the price of Skill Points on occasion. The primary incarnation of this is the stat reallocation sales that pop up from time to time. Keep your eyes peeled for those!
LeoWong asked: Can the Loyalty Program update be made a priority?
Answer: We’re working on too many exciting new things, including the next city, to make the Loyalty Program a priority anytime soon.
BustEmUp asked: Would it be possible to have unused energy and stamina carry over when we level up?
Answer: We get asked this a lot. Managing your resources is part of the strategy aspect of Mafia Wars, which is what separates the casual mobster from the epic mob boss. You would be wise to bet that we will never make unused energy and stamina carry over during a level up. What we will do, however, is suggest a strategy for each scenario: If you find that you are about to level up with a bunch of unused energy, try to get as close as possible to leveling up without going over, then do a high energy cost job. Similarly, if you find that you are about to level up with a bunch of unused stamina, try to get as close as possible to leveling up without going over, then use a rob squad on the Robbing page or attack a Family Boss while you are highly fatigued, either of which will use a large chunk of stamina.
Haider Al asked: Using the Union Hall collect all feature in New York, why does it only collect from craftable properties? The rest seem to have been forgotten.
Answer: The Union Hall is a relatively new feature that does have a couple of bugs remaining, including this one you point out. The collection of cash from NYC properties should be added the next time the feature is updated.
FarGloom asked: How many Ice Seasons are there going to be?
Answer: Ice Seasons are currently considered to be a regularly recurring event. That being said, they may change a little bit in the coming weeks, so look out for that.
Tequilla79 said: With all the Ice Seasons, players are no longer focusing on Defense/Losses. Is something going to be done to balance this out?
Answer: Yes. We are currently working on a new fighting feature that will make surviving attacks much more important.
Moogle asked: When will the Power Packs be rolled out to all players? Will there be compensation given to those who have gone without the Stamina Packs?
Answer: Every time we release a new feature we take great care to do so in a controlled experiment by which we determine its potential to negatively effect the balance of the game. We recently announced that Power Packs have entered their second phase of testing in the live game. We’ll be watching the data from this ongoing test to determine how to best release them to the remaining players. Getting a feature released to everyone has always been one of our priorities, but the speed at which we are able to do so is balanced with the need to ensure that a feature will not harm the game once it is out to everyone. We are pleased that you enjoyed the original Stamina Pack, but they were experimental in themselves, so we will not be compensating for their absence.
{S}The{K}Executioner{D} asked: Is it possible to add a function for purchasing multiple items in the Fight Club?
Answer: As with the Loyalty Program, we’re currently working on too many exciting new things, including the next city, to make altering the Fight Club in any way a priority anytime soon.
SantaMaxim asked: Why not renew Cuba, Moscow and Bangkok instead of closing them? We also never seen Manhattan, why not open it for everybody, you have the code?
Answer: The amount of work required to renew a city is nearly the same as making a brand new city, and we believe a new city will always be more exciting. Also, instead of a complete revamp of an existing city, we might, at some point, consider an expansion instead. As for Manhattan, it was created as a proposed replacement for NYC, but didn’t turn out as good as we had hoped. We wouldn't want to overwrite everyone's NYC with Manhattan, since it tested poorly with the players that did see it.
Prakash01 asked: Will there be any family related achievements?
Answer: Most certainly, keep an eye out for them.
IreneNP asked: Can you please simplify the way we find our family members by being able to type in either their real or mafia name?
Answer: Such functionality is not coming in the near future, but it's a good idea, so it is likely to be added eventually.
Marley1 asked: Will Zynga be setting up mock wars for families in the game?
Answer: Yes, indeed. "Month" is actually working on such a feature right now!
Carlh1969 asked: On some of the Missions or even the Icing event, could you offer bulk skill point rewards instead of the high-end loot?
Answer: It is possible, but the skill points would likely appear as a bonus along with an item, similar to how some craftable items include skill points.
Answer: That’s a great idea! We’ll definitely consider it for the future. We love to receive contest suggestions from the player community, so please share with us any you have by posting them in this forum thread. By the way, the submission deadline for the “Think Outside Of The Box” Crate Design Contest is fast approaching. Be sure to get your entries in by 11:59pm PDT on August 28th!
Scott.Carleone asked: How many war loots can we receive in one day?
Answer: You should be able to collect 5 per day.
Igtenos asked: Why oh why do you hate Exotic animal feed so much? And Special Parts? We've complained countless times DO NOT TAKE THESE ITEMS OFF THE GIFT PAGE yet here we are yet again with the Exotic Animal Feed taken off the gift page.
Answer: Ah, the eternal struggle to properly stock the free gifts page. We are constantly reevaluating the mix of things that appear on it. We appreciate your continued feedback about what should be on it. A great way to demonstrate the player community's interest in any particular change to the list is to post your suggestion as an idea on the Mafia Wars Get Satisfaction page and get others to show their support for your idea with "me too"s.
Markall42 asked: When will fight list/robbing loot be updated? If it does get updated, could a double fight loot weekend coincide with it?
Answer: It will still be a few weeks before the next fight loot refresh. We don’t like to do a double loot event right when new loot comes out because it wears out the excitement for the new loot too quickly. It is more likely that we will do a double loot event right before the new stuff gets released, so people have a chance to collect all the current items that they want.
Guillermo-br asked: Can we have a way to accept and return gifts with only 1 click?
Answer: We are eager to cut down on the number of clicks needed to send items to your friends. Unfortunately, there is some trickiness with Facebook request rules. But we are definitely looking into it.
Percues asked: Why is there an age limit on the loot contest? Annoys the hell out of me because I've been waiting and waiting and now I can't do crap with my item ideas.
Answer: Unfortunately, the legal paperwork involved in allowing minors to participate in contests is too complicated for us to make all contests open to entrants under the age of majority (18 in the USA). Similarly, the complexity of contest rules around the world make it difficult for us to allow participation or entries from non-USA countries. Both of these restrictions are, unfortunately, common to contests held by most companies.
Don Jimbo asked: How soon could a feature be included, possibly in the inventory section, to identify the items used in defense when a player was last attacked or if that player were attacked at that moment?
Answer: We recall this coming up in a previous episode of Mafia Wars Live!, so this makes 2 people who want such a feature... or the same person asking twice? Unfortunately, we would need quite a bit more interest in such a feature to consider devoting the time it would take to create.
Iamswaraj asked: Can we have a precious collection in all cities?
Answer: We can easily make precious collections for new cities, but that was brand new code that was created for Brazil. It would be hugely complex to apply it to old cities, so we don't currently have plans to do so.
MW-India asked: Can you introduce Robbing only HEL (high end loot)?
Answer: This was considered when we merged the fighting and robbing loot lists. It does sound cool, but having separate lists would mostly mean smaller, less frequent content refreshes for both systems, so players really do get cooler loot more often by not making items exclusive to robbing or fighting.
Not-a-Troll asked: When will the hitlist receive a higher importance in the game? There could be an objective in missions where you must knock 2-3 players off.
Answer: The hitlist exists to be more of a tool for players than a cornerstone of the game. It is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
Mr Ijan asked: Why does Zynga not discount the sales of Skill Points?
Answer: We actually have discounted the price of Skill Points on occasion. The primary incarnation of this is the stat reallocation sales that pop up from time to time. Keep your eyes peeled for those!
LeoWong asked: Can the Loyalty Program update be made a priority?
Answer: We’re working on too many exciting new things, including the next city, to make the Loyalty Program a priority anytime soon.
BustEmUp asked: Would it be possible to have unused energy and stamina carry over when we level up?
Answer: We get asked this a lot. Managing your resources is part of the strategy aspect of Mafia Wars, which is what separates the casual mobster from the epic mob boss. You would be wise to bet that we will never make unused energy and stamina carry over during a level up. What we will do, however, is suggest a strategy for each scenario: If you find that you are about to level up with a bunch of unused energy, try to get as close as possible to leveling up without going over, then do a high energy cost job. Similarly, if you find that you are about to level up with a bunch of unused stamina, try to get as close as possible to leveling up without going over, then use a rob squad on the Robbing page or attack a Family Boss while you are highly fatigued, either of which will use a large chunk of stamina.
Haider Al asked: Using the Union Hall collect all feature in New York, why does it only collect from craftable properties? The rest seem to have been forgotten.
Answer: The Union Hall is a relatively new feature that does have a couple of bugs remaining, including this one you point out. The collection of cash from NYC properties should be added the next time the feature is updated.
FarGloom asked: How many Ice Seasons are there going to be?
Answer: Ice Seasons are currently considered to be a regularly recurring event. That being said, they may change a little bit in the coming weeks, so look out for that.
Tequilla79 said: With all the Ice Seasons, players are no longer focusing on Defense/Losses. Is something going to be done to balance this out?
Answer: Yes. We are currently working on a new fighting feature that will make surviving attacks much more important.
Moogle asked: When will the Power Packs be rolled out to all players? Will there be compensation given to those who have gone without the Stamina Packs?
Answer: Every time we release a new feature we take great care to do so in a controlled experiment by which we determine its potential to negatively effect the balance of the game. We recently announced that Power Packs have entered their second phase of testing in the live game. We’ll be watching the data from this ongoing test to determine how to best release them to the remaining players. Getting a feature released to everyone has always been one of our priorities, but the speed at which we are able to do so is balanced with the need to ensure that a feature will not harm the game once it is out to everyone. We are pleased that you enjoyed the original Stamina Pack, but they were experimental in themselves, so we will not be compensating for their absence.
{S}The{K}Executioner{D} asked: Is it possible to add a function for purchasing multiple items in the Fight Club?
Answer: As with the Loyalty Program, we’re currently working on too many exciting new things, including the next city, to make altering the Fight Club in any way a priority anytime soon.
SantaMaxim asked: Why not renew Cuba, Moscow and Bangkok instead of closing them? We also never seen Manhattan, why not open it for everybody, you have the code?
Answer: The amount of work required to renew a city is nearly the same as making a brand new city, and we believe a new city will always be more exciting. Also, instead of a complete revamp of an existing city, we might, at some point, consider an expansion instead. As for Manhattan, it was created as a proposed replacement for NYC, but didn’t turn out as good as we had hoped. We wouldn't want to overwrite everyone's NYC with Manhattan, since it tested poorly with the players that did see it.
Prakash01 asked: Will there be any family related achievements?
Answer: Most certainly, keep an eye out for them.
IreneNP asked: Can you please simplify the way we find our family members by being able to type in either their real or mafia name?
Answer: Such functionality is not coming in the near future, but it's a good idea, so it is likely to be added eventually.
Marley1 asked: Will Zynga be setting up mock wars for families in the game?
Answer: Yes, indeed. "Month" is actually working on such a feature right now!
Carlh1969 asked: On some of the Missions or even the Icing event, could you offer bulk skill point rewards instead of the high-end loot?
Answer: It is possible, but the skill points would likely appear as a bonus along with an item, similar to how some craftable items include skill points.
Well, mobsters, there are a couple of answers for you. Thanks for all the great questions! If you have any follow up or entirely new questions, be sure to ask them in the forum post for Episode 10 of Mafia Wars Live!, which will broadcast live at 3:30 pm PDT on Wednesday, September 7th. See you in two weeks, mobsters!
