Mafia Wars Missions feature adds character like Gang Busters

Mafia Wars Missions
Now that the Inventory Page overhaul has gone live for mobsters worldwide in Mafia Wars, how about adding a face to the otherwise sometimes mundane Jobs in the game? In fact, make that a lot of faces. Without notice, Zynga has introduced a new Missions feature to the game that not only streamlines the Jobs process in Italy and New York, but introduces new characters and possibly more purpose to your actions in the game as a result.

Appearing on players' home page directly above the recently introduced news reel, digital mobsters can click on either the Italy symbol or what looks like a file folder to access the Job they're currently on in Italy or New York, respectively. Clicking either icon a second time will cause a drop down box to appear containing the tasks you need to tackle for that chapter and the Boss you'll have to take out, if there is one. (There is almost always a Boss.) Additional information includes the Mastery Item you have to look forward to and a short blurb to the left from a character, egging you on to complete the task at hand.

But there's something odd about this new Missions feature. The Missions that it supplies you appear contextual, or based on your current progress in the game beyond mere Jobs. For instance, clicking on the file folder icon will not only remind you of Jobs that need to be completed in New York, but of other tasks like mastering a Job Tier or robbing more properties. These otherwise arbitrary actions will now reward players with extra cash, experience and loot if completed through the new Missions feature. It seems that Zynga is looking to give players new guidance in the game while streamlining the experience for veterans, giving them things to do beyond their normal routines. According to a blog post on the Mafia Wars Blog, this is only the beginning for the new and improved Mission in Mafia Wars, so stay tuned for any changes.

Mafia Wars: Zynga, Digital Chocolate finally settle trademark lawsuit

After Millionaire City creator Digital Chocolate filed suit against Zynga in Aug. 2010 for trademark infringement involving the Mafia Wars brand, the dispute has at last been settled, Gamasutra reports. However, the settlement amount nor the terms have been disclosed. Interestingly enough, the Mafia Wars name still appears to be under Zynga control as the game has yet to undergo any changes.

In the lawsuit filed last year, Digital Chocolate said it released a Mafia Wars mobile game way back in 2004 along with three sequels through 2009, according to Gamasutra. This was three years before Zynga came around and four before the company's Mafia Wars was released. The company says it sent a notice to Zynga in 2009 demanding that it stop using the Mafia Wars moniker.

"Through duplicity and bad faith, Zynga has effectively hijacked the Mafia Wars mark from Digital Chocolate and is aggressively marketing its games under the Mafia Wars mark to Digital Chocolate's substantial detriment," said the firm in documents filed with California's Northern District Court, according to Gamasutra.

Digital Chocolate hit Zynga with several charges including federal/common law trademark infringement, federal/state/common law unfair competition, false designation of origin, and cyber-squatting, Gamasutra reports. However, the company appears largely unscathed--at least it does on the outside. Keep in mind that this is far from the first time Zynga has been the target of a lawsuit.

This gives even better reason to ask this question: Is Zynga constantly the victim of legal attacks because it's simply something that comes with being a mulit-billion company or does it have more to do with its methods? If anything, this goes to show how intense the social games business has become in more ways than one.

[Source: The Recorder]

What do you think went on behind the scenes during this settlement? How does this news make you feel about Zynga's game-creation process?

Zynga wants Mafia Wars designers, coders; creates contest for you

Zynga seems to be taking the "Real World" approach to crowd sourcing its potential hire base for new designers and programmers. The company is looking for new talent to join its Mafia Wars team, and it has created a contest for both designers and programmers to partake in and prove their worth. Design contestants are tasked with creating a Mafia Wars-themed puzzle game and filming the experience creatively. A free-spirited effort, for sure, but programmers must take a multiple choice test to gauge their engineering skills. (Software engineers, now you know where to look.)

However, Zynga is requiring no experience, no resumes--just a display of your creative or technical talents. (At least at first.) This goes to show what Zynga values above all else: skill. That's a comforting approach coming from a multi-billion dollar company, but it's also indicative of what Zynga might be working on. The company is looking for designers to create a board game, and the next Mafia Wars has been said to employ a lot of features seen in Crime City (namely the isometric perspective and world). These two pieces of information fit together rather nicely, no? Surely, this is speculation, but that will be confirmed or denied in due time.

Are you entering Zynga's game design hiring contest? What do you think of the company's approach to finding it's new talent?