April News: 30% off sale & site improvements

AS OF April 1, 2011 here's what's new / going on at Play Buddy: Miscellaneous

So for those of you who've been following along, Play Buddy is celebrating TEN years and we're throwing a major party that consists of surprising new changes and exciting new sales EVERY month through 2011! That said, are you ready for news of the newest mods and discounts? Well, read on!

For the month of April, some impressive changes to our website have taken place; they include a new shopping cart feature for PayPal customers, a new "Social" menu, and an updated "About" menu. Also, you can stay abreast of Play Buddy happenings with our cool new Play Buddy Toolbar. We hope you explore - and enjoy - these changes and as always, your feedback about them is most welcome. And now what you've all REALLY been waiting for...

April's SALE is 30% off all WORD game Buddies. The coupon code to use at credit card checkout ONLY is: CPN41434169556. You can view all of the word game buddies of your chosen gamesite on the associated download page; the list includes popular Buddies such as LiterAuto, Quirty, Boggle Bash, Whackdown, Whomp, etc. So what're you waiting for? Grab your discounts this month!

Updated Buddies The updated buddies page attests to some important bugs being addressed - 7 Buddies were updated.

Newest Buddies Do you play CLUE Secrets and Spies or Boardwalk Seaball? If so, the newest buddies page will be to your liking, since those new Buddies are on it.

Coming Very Soon...

Puck Buddy - Pogo (new) Pop Buddy - Pogo (update) Phlinx Buddy - Pogo (new)

That is all for now. If you have questions, concerns, commentary, suggestions, or any Play Buddy related ideas what-so-ever don't hesitate to contact us.

Keep Up-to-Date with Play Buddy

Play Buddy offers a variety of ways to stay updated. Why would you want to keep abreast of Play Buddy’s goings-on? Well, free Buddies for one! Play Buddy offers free Buddy giveaways in addition to sales, discounts, and special promotions. And of course if you are waiting for a new Buddy, or an updated version of your current Buddy, you will undoubtedly want to know when it is available. Or perhaps you’d like to know when Play Buddy tackles a new game site or offers a new payment option or makes an exciting new change. So, here are the many ways you can stay informed with the most up-to-date happenings at PB:

Website

Description: The Play Buddy Website is a plethora of information. The home page lists Buddies for the week’s Pogo Badge Challenges (under “Featured This Week”) and the most recently updated and most recent new releases. The “News” button provides direct access to the Latest News (aka the Newsletter), Updated Buddies, and Newest Buddies. And of course the news scroll at the top of the page provides mini announcements about various goings-on.

It’s great for: Anyone who wants to regularly check up on Play Buddy happenings.

It can be accessed by: Clicking here.

Newsletter

Description: Sent out on or near the 1^st of every month, the Play Buddy Newsletter provides readers with the recent goings-on at Play Buddy and provides news of New, Updated, and Upcoming Buddies.

It’s great for: Anyone who wants to be automatically notified of news, updates, and new products at regular intervals.

It can be accessed by: Visiting the Play Buddy website. Clicking the “Newsletter” button on the upper right-hand corner of the website will enable you to sign up for it.

Blogs

Description: A blog is a type of journal where the writer provides information to any readers and followers. Play Buddy publishes the same blog content on a monthly basis (or thereabouts) on Wordpress, Blogger, HubPages, and LiveJournal.

It’s great for: Those who want a more in-depth view of Play Buddy.

It can be accessed by: Clicking on these respective links: Wordpress, Blogger, HubPages, LiveJournal or visiting said sites and doing a search for “Play Buddy”.

Global Networking Sites

Description: Global Networking Sites are places where people from all over the world can view information about other people or businesses via the internet. Play Buddy is listed on two of the most popular of such sites: Twitter and Facebook.

It’s great for: Anyone who wants live or “real time” updates or immediate notification about anything pertaining to Play Buddy. From sales to updates and everything in between, this is where it will be immediately listed.

It can be accessed by: Clicking on these respective links: Facebook and Twitter.

Forum

Description: The forum is where Play Buddy fans, followers, and customers ask questions and post commentary about Play Buddy products.

It’s great for: Anyone who wants to discuss any Buddy-related topics with other users and like-minded people. Unique sales and giveaways are also posted here, as are announcements of new and updated Buddies, Badge Challenges, and news in general.

It can be accessed by: Clicking here or selecting the “Forum” button on the Play Buddy website.

Buddies

Description: Any Play Buddy product (Buddy).

It’s great for: Getting sale and important news announcements via the ticker and receiving updated versions of the Buddy automatically.

It can be accessed by: Opening any Buddy: if a new version of the Buddy is available, a notification will appear asking if you want to download the update. Similarly, if Play Buddy has any important news it wants to announce, a red ticker will be displayed in the Buddy’s status bar.

So, in closing, I hope you've found new (or more convenient) ways to "stay in the know" about what's happening at Play Buddy.

MSN and Pogo Badge Challenge FYI

Perhaps one of the main reasons Pogo and MSN players use Play Buddy Buddies for their games is because of badges. Interestingly enough, Yahoo players and players of other game sites are undoubtedly unfamiliar with this term (but not for long), so this blog will shed some light on the mystery of badge challenges.

While both MSN and Pogo offer opportunities for players to win badges via badge challenges, the sport is most common on Pogo. In fact, one could argue that the sole reason why players play on the Pogo gamesite is for these virtual trinkets that become available on a weekly basis (every 2 weeks to a month on MSN). So, exactly what is a badge and how does one acquire one? Excellent questions both.

A badge is a virtual token that has no monetary value. It is collected by completing a specified challenge, and it is added to a virtual album. For example, Pogo or MSN declares that there is a Hearts Badge Challenge; you must win 10 hearts games to achieve the challenge and once you do, you earn that badge of accomplishment in your online badge album. The album can then be viewed and for every badge that has been collected, a small picture – representing the badge – appears; for every badge that was missed or not collected, a grayed-out vacant slot appears.

And who wants grayed-out vacant slots?!

Of course, there aren’t hundreds of thousands of players playing solely to collect badges, are there? Well actually, yes. Log onto Pogo games every Wednesday (the start of the new badge week) and 10,000+ people will be logged into the corresponding badge challenge games. Considering that this is only 1 day of the week and that most badges take under 30 minutes to complete – with the help of Play Buddy autos – and one can deduce that this badge collecting is a serious business!

The natural question you’re likely asking yourself now is WHY would anyone play to collect a virtual badge? On MSN the badges are a testimony to how often and how well you play the game. In other words: competition and pride! (You only have a level 2 flowerly flower badge? That’s nothing compared to my level 13 flowerly flower power badge!) On Pogo the badge collecting deal is sweetened with thousands of bonus tokens which are used to purchase items on the gamesite, and completing a badge with thousands of other players offers a sense of camaraderie. It is also fulfilling to see a full badge album.

Now that the activity known as badge collecting has been described, one must wonder if any Yahoo or other gamesite players reading this blog, are intrigued. This leads me to the concluding questions…

If you collect badges, what is the appeal it has for you?
If you don’t collect badges, are you now considering trying it out?
What other thoughts or opinions would you like to share about badge collecting?

Buddies: Cheats or not cheats?

If you play games on popular sites like Yahoo, Pogo, or MSN, you've surely heard of “cheats”. The word “cheat” implies a person is playing the game in a way to ensure a win. This is commonly achieved by using a programmed application known as a “bot” or “auto” to play the game on your behalf.

Play Buddy bots have an unfair advantage since they’re programmed with an ability to play most games with an intelligence superior to that of most human opponents. Speed is also an advantage in badge situations on Pogo or MSN, since a bot can complete game rounds tons faster than human players.

Yes, Play Buddy bots can be used as autos – thereby allowing users to have the bot complete the game in their stead – and as such could be deemed as Pogo cheats or Yahoo cheats or MSN cheats. However, what if the aid of the application is sought, and it is not used to automatically play the game? What if, instead, it was used as a helping tool or teaching aid? Is it still considered a game cheat?

You see, what makes Play Buddy Buddies absolutely unique is their “show hint” and “play hint” features. This enables users to play their game and to access the Buddy only when they get stuck, or aren’t sure which move to make. Furthermore, a diligent user could utilize the Buddy as a tutor or instructor of the game. In other words – theoretically speaking – you could learn to play a game with the use of a Play Buddy auto’s hint features.

Another option that encourages learning is the “always hint” option in the Buddy’s settings. This means that the Buddy’s GUI always displays the next suggested move. Users learning how to play and who want to practice their skills can turn this feature off. Then he or she can press “play hint” or “show hint” when they’ve made their own guess as to which move should be made. If their guess matches the Buddy’s move, they know they’re catching on! And of course some Buddy engines (i.e. Chess, Tumblee, Sudoku to name a few) are near brilliant so users who learn how to play from the Buddy will be more impressive / intelligent players than those who’re learning on their own and have to guess which move to make.

So, always wanted to learn how to play backgammon? Wish you could be taught how to make great chess moves? Perhaps now is the time to consider some new Buddies in a new light!

Questions for Readers:

What do you think of the use of autos or “cheats” in the online gaming world?
Have you or would you use a Buddy to learn a new game?
Do you agree or disagree that a Buddy is a cheat?

Interview with a Programmer

Forget about Interview with a Vampire… you’re undoubtedly more interested in an interview with the elusive Play Buddy programmers! These mysterious team members not only work diligently to provide new game autos for Pogo, Yahoo, and MSN, but they are also responsible for programming improved updates to existing bots, and programming bug fixes associated with customer submitted bug reports. With all that work to be done, it’s no wonder we’re left wondering if they even exist!

Thanks to the willingness of one programmer to ditch his anonymity and answer my questions, Play Buddy fans now receive a behind-the-scenes look of Play Buddy’s goings-on through the eyes of a programmer (and receive confirmation of existence!). Here is my brief interview with one of Play Buddy’s programmers, Alex.

Me: How long have you been programming Buddies (bots) for Play Buddy?

Alex: I have been programming Buddies more than two years [almost three].

Me: Do you remember the first Buddy you programmed?

Alex: Yes, the Stackem Buddy was the first Buddy that I programmed. I remember it well since it was my first project of this kind, and the game was funny.

Me: Do you have a favorite Buddy that you programmed?

Alex: No, I like them all even if they are very simple. Sometimes the logic of the game is simple, but the recognition of the game board is a real challenge. Sometime it is hard to implement a perfect strategy. But the more complex the program, the more satisfied I am with the final result.

Me: Typically how long does it take you to complete a Buddy, from start to release?

Alex: It depends on the difficulty of the Buddy of course. Let's say it takes one month typically.

Me: Is there a step-by-step process you follow?

Alex: First I read the game's How to Play. I play a bit to learn the game rules. Then I program the game recognition and think about the best strategy in the meantime. And finally I start to implement the Buddy’s strategy. During the testing phase I usually need to correct recognition and even sometimes change strategy to find better results.

Me: What do you like the most about programming Buddies?

Alex: I like to see how the Buddy is working when it’s finished :) Finding the solution/strategy is the most interesting part.

Me: What do you like the least?

Alex: Game recognition is a boring part. Humans [recognize the game] automatically. But bots need a [programmer to tell them how]to do it.

Me: Is there anything you would like to say to the Play Buddy readers?

Alex: Have fun playing games with the help of Play Buddy!

Thank you Alex for your insightful answers! I for one am appreciative for the continued hard work that you and all of the Play Buddy programmers do – Play Buddy certainly would not be what it is today without you all. And I’m confident that I can speak on behalf of all Play Buddy customers when I say we look forward to your upcoming releases.

Questions for Readers: How does it feel to download a new bot for a game that you’ve been waiting for? If you could ask a PB programmer a question, what would it be? What bot do you hope the programmers release next?

Where have all the Yahoo games players gone?

The place to play online games in the early years of the 21st century was undoubtedly Yahoo Games. The most popular games of pool and chess boasted 40,000+ players at any given time, and favorite classics such as Hearts and Spades drew crowds you couldn’t shake a stick at. Now those numbers have drastically dwindled to a mere fraction of what they used to be (eg. I counted only 4,615 total pool players this past Wednesday noon EST… I sure miss the “players online” tally they removed a couple of years ago!). Is this proof that Yahoo players are abandoning ship? And if so why? I have a couple of theories…

Loss of Simplicity

The Yahoo game site has transitioned from simple to… not so simple. They’ve transformed from a user-friendly, easily navigated game site to one filled with a plethora of advertisements in every nook and cranny (even in the game applets themselves!), tons of downloadable games, and many questionable games that seem to appear out of the woodwork weekly. My mind goes on sensory overload every time I have to visit the game site home page… thank God for bookmarks and backlinks!

Spam Block

The once easy-to-access game rooms now greet users with an often difficult-to-distinguish confirmation code request. The confirmation code is meant to keep out spammers but I’ve yet to enter a game room that did not have a spammer in it. This issue has been around since the dawning of Yahoo games and has become such a norm that it seems to be accepted (and ignored) by players. Ironically it seems that this code is more efficient at deterring players from entering the game, especially when 3 or 4 attempts at the blurry confirmation code can drive any sane person to insanity (I’m speaking from personal experience here!).

So, where are the Yahoo players going?

It used to be that Yahoo games was the “king of the hill” in the online game site world but the past couple of years have suggested that Pogo games has taken claim of this title; in fact, today Pogo is not only advertised on the Yahoo games site, but has its own link which connects users to Pogo games within the Yahoo browser! Pogo shows an impressive 200,000+ players online at any given time (add another 100,000+ during badge Wednesdays!). MSN Zone and King range from 100,000-200,000. And even IWON might be comparable to Yahoo with around 50,000 players.

Ah well, I guess I have to accept that things are always changing. My nostalgia won’t bring back the glory days of Yahoo and who’s to say a new up and coming game site won’t blow Pogo out of the water in a couple of years? Ya just never know!

Questions for readers: What are your thoughts on the apparent decline of Yahoo games?Did you used to play on Yahoo but have switched to another gamesite? Why? Feel free to leave a comment!

Let's get this show on the road!

Hi! My name is Shannon and I’m a Play Buddy employee who has been designated your official Play Buddy Blogger! For those who have just happened by and

a) don’t know what a blog is
b) don’t know who Play Buddy is
c) don’t know who or what a Play Buddy blog is

you’re in luck because I - your new Blog Buddy - can “edjumacate” you on a,b,c, and more.

A blog is short for a web log which can range from an online personal diary, to an informative knowledgebase of a company. Play Buddy is an online-based business that provides software applications to online gamers, and this is our blog.

The Play Buddy blog will provide informative info on a wide range of topics pertaining to Play Buddy, game autos (or cheats), game sites (ex. Pogo games, Yahoo games, MSN games, etc), and similarly related issues.

The topic of this particular blog is just an extension of the afore-posted intro blog… an introduction of me and to let you know that you can expect regular blogs on a consistent basis (monthly). I hope to offer insight, keep you informed, and maybe even give you something somewhat entertaining to read.

Play Buddy and myself would like to encourage all readers to leave comments to any and all blogs if you so choose… I (we) look forward to reading about your thoughts and/or experiences. And of course if there is a blog topic you’d like me to write about, shout it out for consideration.

Until next blog,
Blog Buddy Shannon