CastleVille Legend

CastleVille Legends is Gone but there are Others

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 00:08:00 +0000

The Legends of CastleVille is gone but not forgotten

Long are the days when Yvette and Rafael would grace our PC screens. However that doesn't mean there aren't other mobile games that are very close to it. Ever since Zynga brutally shut down our beloved CVL games I've scoured the net for games alike CastleVille Legends.

And I've found two that come very close.

Royal Story on Facebook

Royal Story has a lot of events to play

This game is beautiful and can be found on Facebook's App browser. There's so much to it that resemble CastleVille Legends from the quirky characters to the deep storylines that span across various characters. The gameplay is very similar. You expand land, you craft and decorate while purchasing new machines, animals, and outfits.

I can't recommend it enough.

Find out more on my Royal Story Blog!

Royal Farm on Mobile Devices

Royal Farm has many events but not a lot of character development

Royal Farm is a new one I recently discovered and have been playing just as much as Royal Story. The difference is that this is played on your mobile device. It involves fairy tale characters living in a magical realm where you expand land, craft items, and participate in events either solo or in a guild.

In-game picture of Royal Farm. Looks familiar doesn't it?

I'm going to focus this blog on Royal Farm from now on and any other mobile games I think are like CastleVille Legends.

Come back soon!

CVL is a bittersweet memory

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 10:19:00 +0000

We miss you CastleVille Legends

Hello Kings and Queens,

I wish I had news to tell you about CastleVille Legends but alas, there is nothing to tell. What would you like to see here? Are there sections missing that you would like to have available as a resource? Should I take this blog into a new direction? Perhaps showcasing mobile games that revolve around a fantasy theme? CastleVille Legends forever remains in our hearts. In the meanwhile, what to do here? Suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

Edit: 02/19/2019

Hi all,

it's been a fantastic 8 years but it's time to officially close down this little site. I first began chronicling CastleVille Legends when its original predecessor Castleville first shut down. For several years, I posted sneak peeks, full guides, and early walk-throughs of events that had yet to debut in the live game.

After CVL closed, I decided to continue writing guides about FV2CE in a more simpler format. But life has a funny way of closing in around a person when least expected. Before, I was way younger, and had zero responsibilities on my shoulders.

Trust me when I say that it's hard to say that because I used to consider myself a dedicated gamer. Not just in mobile games but online RPGs, and FPS games that kept me up for days on end. So it's difficult having to admit that I can't even keep up with the special events in a casual simulation game.

For those that loyally came to this little site. I wanted to sincerely thank you for visiting through-out all these years. I can't appreciate you all enough.

If you ever wish to visit again I'm at my author's website since it focuses on my Fantasy Adventure novels, photo manips, and Poshmark.

Thank you for your company and remember no matter what: Happy Playing!
-Masaya Silverwynde

CastleVille Legends: Yvette revisits FV2CE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 00:30:00 +0000

CastleVille Legends main character Yvette revisits in an entirely different gaming genre where country fairs, farmhands, and all around farming rules: FarmVille 2 Country Escape. Come take a look at how she's envisioned in the modern farm life.

I was surprised to see that(yet again) Yvette was brought back into the FV2CE mobile game. When Zynga had asked if CastleVille Legends players were still interested in our beloved game I imagine this is what they ultimately had in mind.

I'm honestly in a bittersweet mood about it. If Zynga can randomly bring back Yvette(and at one time they did so for Rafael as well) then why not put the same energy into remaking the CVL franchise? A good majority of the CVL players have made the move to FV2CE to stay together with friends that were made over the CastleVille Legends game that might as well be as close as family. Zynga of course wants to bank on that by casually catering to these CVL players to keep them content.

Not a bad thing to be sure. However, it would be equally nice if Zynga hurried up on making their minds on whether or not to fully bring back CastleVille Legends. To be honest, I'm tired of seeing portions of the CastleVille franchise being chopped up and placed in either FV2CE or their new FarmVille Tropic Escape game. Instead of stringing along players they should revisit what didn't work for CVL then revise it, and re-release the CastleVille series in a better format.

At least that is what I would have done had I the same resources. What do you think about Zynga bringing CastleVille Legends characters into other games?

Finding CVL Players in FV2CE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:49:00 +0000

Do you remember when CastleVille Legends first debuted? On September 13th 2013 players around the world were asked to push back the gloom, save various heroes, and restore a legendary kingdom. And then it came crashing down on March 31st 2016. Few have found games that even come close to the magical wonder of CVL. While others have moved forward to find a place with other players in the FarmVille 2 Country Escape game.

Browsing for a new alliance I found two Co-ops(just like CVL's alliance but for farmers) where players that had been parted from the very first game of Castleville had joined together.

I kept going through and found a second group with an appropriately titled name: CVL Refugees Turned Farmers. I think this one is perfectly named for the CVL fans that decided to go into the FV2CE game together. If you're looking for a place with other CastleVille Legends fans these two groups are good to join into as the other players will also share their memories of a game we all knew and loved.

Where ever your game travels have taken you;

Happy Playing.
-Masaya

CastleVille Legends: Happy Thanksgiving Royals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 17:46:00 +0000

Dear Royals, although we no longer have our beloved CastleVille Legends game with us. I hope that you find other things to be thankful for this holiday. It took quite a bit of digging around in my file folders but this might interest a few loyal fans. During November there were a few holiday quests that came up during this time of the year.

CVL quest: Autumn Feast
Release date: Nov 2014

The quest begins for all Royals that were at level 10 with this introduction screen by Rafael. He's dressed pretty nicely isn't he? I believe he's still wearing his costume from Halloween. The developers weren't very proactive with these kinds of things.

Place 2 Log Benches anywhere on your land. The log benches were found in the Marketplace under the Decorations tab.

Place 2 Wine Tables anywhere on your land. These were also purchased for coins in the Marketplace in the Decorations section.

Craft 4 Opal-studded cups. These were created with opals at the Jeweler. Don't quote me on that one it's been a long time. (sobs sobs)

The quest reward was a nice chunk of experience to help your castle grow. I sure do miss the game. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this flashback. Happy Thanksgiving. May your tummies be filled and your castle be full of warmth and love.

Happy Playing!
Masaya Silverwynde

Catch me on my other social sites:
Google+ Wendy May FV2CE

CastleVille Legends: Hope Never Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 19:23:00 +0000

For those loyal to CVL: Keep being Strong

Royals of CastleVille Legends,

Silly as it may seem I am still holding onto the fervent hope that CastleVille Legends will return to our mobile devices. I know that I am not the only one either. The amount of success and sizeable fanbase this franchise had carried with it was something to behold. And this little game was under the management of a small team of developers that weren't given access to all the resources available to the FarmVille teams. Imagine if it was given a full chance to shine and the CVL team would be allowed to bring out the best in CVL. We would have an even better game that we would be willing to support.

If this sounds all a bit strange to suddenly say out of the blue? Well, I can only say at the moment to the loyal CastleVille Legends players out there --- RAISE YOUR VOICES. Keep sending emails, creating videos of your gameplay on Youtube, and tweet to Zynga that you are wanting this game to make a comeback. Do not give up because believe it or not; they are listening. Anyways I cannot say more then that so please, please ---

Keep holding on to that hope, fellow rulers because if we continue showing support for this game then perhaps something wonderful may happen. Understand that this is not a promise but a plea for you all to keep the spirit of CastleVille Legends alive.

Together we can make the Legend happen!

A Farewell to CastleVille Legends

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 03:53:00 +0000

Hello everyone, it's been a long while hasn't it? I hope you all are doing well! A couple of people have recently asked me why I never released a 'good-bye' video for CastleVille Legends. The reason was that I did make one but it was far too emotional to view. Seriously, I was angry, ranting, and even trying hard to not show my tears. In the end, I decided to not show those parts. Instead I cut out all of the commentary and left in the game footage. Nothing too exciting as it was only a small tour of my kingdom before the online servers were shut down. But it's nice to look back and see what use to be one of the most awesome fantasy games.

Click on the below video to view:

Please support my channel by liking or subscribing. Thank you so much for watching.

Happy Playing!
-Masaya

A Glitter of Bluebelle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 05:35:00 +0000

Hi Royals,

how have you all been doing lately? Summer has arrived and brings along with it some blistering heat! I have to admit that I much prefer colder weather. Humidity is the worst. Oh, joy of joys. I found a new toy to play around with in my graphics program. Bluebelle is now my test subject. Ha!

Hopefully the picture shows up with the animations. I added glitter, a smoke and steam effect where Bramble is standing. Then I played around with Bluebelle's hair, waist, and wings. I think I like the overall look. Now I wish there was a CastleVille Legends cartoon movie. Yep, I'm still missing it greatly but that's how much of a silly fan I was to the game.

Be safe out there and remember;

Happy Playing!
-Masaya

Legends from the Castle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 May 2016 02:39:00 +0000

In a world of magic and science, exists a legendary kingdom governed by a mysterious royal. Far and wide, the bards sung tales of the crowned head's benevolence and the tranquil life within their province. However, no rule is without conflict, and the peace was suddenly broken..

When the Darkness swept the land, the shadowy fog turned the once beautiful landscape into a murky swamp filled to the brim with grim goblins and night terrors. As the Darkness surrounded the castle it left no quarter for escape. The shadows wordlessly crept within the halls of the castle for it deliberately sought out the one who wore the crown.

Sensing the coming Darkness, the ruler passed a message into the wind in the hope that the kingdom's plea for help would be received by someone. "A foul darkness seeks to destroy the peace of the people. Answer my call. Heroes, of old and new, seek out the legendary land to save my kingdom."

Near and far, the message was carried to various directions of the world. Across the large expanse of the ocean, and within the Western kingdoms, was Yvonne; a young woman with a gift for speaking to animals. She was the first to hear the words of the royal. The second to take in the ruler's plea was Richter, a barrel-chested woodsman with a penchant for the ladies.

Discover an enchanting world. Witness the adventures of two heroes as they fight to push back the murky rift. Their mystical saga is only beginning.

A Glance at FarmVille 2: Tropic Escape

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 00:28:00 +0000

A tropical adventure in paradise with a farm twist. FarmVille Tropic Escape is the sequel to Zynga's FarmVille 2: Country Escape mobile game. One can only wonder if CastleVille Legends was kicked to the curb for this game.

I'm going to demonstrate only a few levels at the moment as well as some of the key features it offers. To be honest, I wasn't too impressed with it and I couldn't wait to stop playing it. Have a look for yourself and see if this is something you'd enjoy!

Please support my YouTube channel by liking or subscribing. The main focus will be Mobile or Facebook game exploring to hopefully save others time on whether a game is nice enough to try out or not. Thank you for watching and --

Happy Playing!
- Masaya

In response to Heartless Zynga

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 01:15:00 +0000

Hello friends,

first I'd like to thank Fabio Gemignani for bringing to my attention that the current CEO, Frank Gibeau has seen the online petitions circulating around the net. Zynga's CEO has given a response -- CastleVille Legends will continue its course to shut down.

One of the petitions has posted their own opinion on how things have gone. However I'd like to take the moment to clear a few things up by quoting parts of what was written then responding with a few points of my own.

Quote: Farmville 2 Country Escape continues to have the same bugs as all Zynga games and they'll probably close it for Farmville 3 - quoted from https://www.change.org/p/facebook-test/u/16014653

FarmVille 2 Country Escape will be...

We do not know for sure what is in store for FarmVille games until we receive an official statement. Until then it can only be speculation. Although nothing is for certain as not a single one of Zynga's games is safe. After all, this company has a proven track record of shutting down several game titles in the past. I also warn that a player must play a Zynga title keeping in mind that it could very well be closed at any time. Of course, this goes for any other developer game out in the market.

Quote: Zynga's problem isn't the game but bad planning decisions (timing and event design) by game developers, various bugs, and cheaters. Zynga simply fell out of love with Castleville Legends. - quoted from https://www.change.org/p/facebook-test/u/16014653

Zynga's bad plans...

The game itself was never the problem. The glitches or lack of content updates etc were a part of losing daily players but what was the full on demise of CastleVille Legends was lack of monetization growth. Money. Money, talks. This is a sad truth that applies to any game that is out there on store shelves or in the virtual market. Our beloved games are created to make the most money at any given time. If a game does not make money then the investors will pull out their resources, and force the developer to shut down the game.

It was clearly evident. Over 8 months of no holiday events. Releasing Hazel was annoyance to Zynga so they dumped it out the trash. Zynga game developers not knowing how to deal with the Unity player issue. - quoted from https://www.change.org/p/facebook-test/u/16014653

There was no love for the game...

Here, I must disagree that it was clearly evident there was no love for the game. I was a part of the QA team that helped to test parts of the Hazel event. It was not an annoyance. Everyone that had a hand in creating the Hazel event had so much joy in finally being able to release her. There was also far, far, more planned including the final confrontation with the Dark Alchemist and later on opening up the Dwarven/Elven lands. I vaguely hinted at a few of the things we were going to have way back in a April Fool's Day post, "Exciting News: Hazel's Return."

What happened was that resources were cut off for no given reason. No one knew anything except that the plans that were drawn out could not go further then the basic stages.

The Unity player issue was another thorn in their side. I mentioned before the problems all Facebook games were having due to FB's CEO disliking how the game feeds took over the normal feed. Then came in the further issues of Adobe Flash always being unstable/unsafe. It was only a matter of time that Unity player pulled away from using Flash in their Web Player as it affected their brand.

It is also true that at that time, the higher ups in Zynga knew what was happening and didn't feel anyone else needed to know what was going on. And yes indeed, the developers had to sit on their hands as there wasn't anything they could do to deal with the Unity player/Facebook issue. The reason being lack of information from higher ups and resources were already cut off.

Zynga support saying for months that Castleville Legends closing down was a rumor and they were developing events and "just wait and keep playing" raise your vault storage and keep crafting. - quoted from https://www.change.org/p/facebook-test/u/16014653

Blame everyone because they all knew...

At the risk of sounding alike a broken record; there was no resources to lift a finger to fix anything. Zynga's CVL team was bottom of the ladder rung of people that needed to know what was going on. Now imagine where all the QA testers, Super Moderators; as well as the Community Managers, and the Forum Moderators(whom are all volunteers and are not paid) stand at on that ladder. All that was given was a staple response to give to any inquiries. No one except the people on the highest level of CEOs, Board directors and Chief Officers knew anything until it was deemed necessary to know.

However, the higher ups did know, and they were the ones responsible for stringing everyone along until the last possible moment. Which is why it was so upsetting to learn that for a good while the events that were being released had to be done on a limited budget and with no reason as to why it had to be done that way. Sure there was speculation but in reality not a single employee was hoping any of it was to come true.

Now imagine all those bottom rung employees located in the Dallas/San Francisco headquarters being given a month's notice that they are transferring/losing their job. It wasn't a pleasant feeling to say the least. Basically, everything was simply tossed into their laps just as much as it happened to us. Please don't blame everyone, only the ones responsible.

That they'd rather upgrade/raise levels of Farmville 2 Country Escape and the support website than work on events for Castleville Legends- quoted from https://www.change.org/p/facebook-test/u/16014653

The FarmVille titles are making money so they get nice stuff

Sadly, this is true because at the moment the FarmVille titles combined are performing way above what CastleVille Legends and other misc combined titles had performed. I already went into that in the blog entry I had written before called, "What do Zyngas earnings mean for CastleVille Legends."

Please don't misunderstand this entry as some sort of negative front against what was written on the latest petition. I fully support it. I also feel that the person that created the petition is a very loyal CVL player and heartfelt fan that is doing everything he/she can to keep the game going. Honestly, I am inspired by his/her actions. I only wanted to clear up a few misunderstandings as not everything is as it seemed. Many of the employees that were on the CastleVille Legends team were dedicated fans that wanted to keep the game open for as long as possible. Unfortunately, in the eyes of Zynga's CEO, board members/investors, our dedication and love for the game simply isn't enough. And that's a shame as CastleVille Legends is a unique game that had tons of potential.

Where ever the winds take you ---

Happy Playing!
Masaya

FVCE2 Renaissance Fair Event features Yvette and Rafael

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 03:44:00 +0000

Seriously, Zynga...

A traveling Renaissance Fair has set up shop in the FarmVille 2 Country Escape game. Apparently this FVCE2 Renaissance Fair Event has Princess Yvette and Knight Rafael joining in the festivities! Players that beat the the Fair event can win the exclusive Dragon Cat Farm Hand.

*Drops mic* I don't even know what to think.

Princess Yvette and Knight Rafael

Apologies, I feel a bit jaded. If Zynga can muster up the small amount of effort to put this together then why couldn't they have put the same bit of energy into trying to find a way to keep CastleVille Legends running? I can understand why they are doing this as a lot of CVL players have transitioned over to the FarmVille Country Escape 2 mobile game.

However, I personally feel as if it's also a slap in the face. What do you all think? Is it a bittersweet feeling or something else?

*sobs* Yvette became a bit rounder but at least Raf still loves her

This is how Yvette appears in FarmVille 2:Country Escape

This is how Rafael appears in FarmVille 2: Country Escape

Although it's nice to see them again I sincerely wish it was in CastleVille Legends not in the FarmVille 2 franchise. Also, here's a mini-guide for the event if you are currently playing in that game. Good luck!

The FVCE2 Renaissance Fair Mini-Guide

New items needed, and where to locate them:

Dates - Grandma's Glade
Mince Pie - Pastry Oven
Bread & Butter Pudding - Dairy
Veggie Pasty - Pastry Oven
Nutmeg - Pappys's Pond/ Pier
Fish Pie - Pastry Oven
Mead - Stovetop
Sticky Toffee Pudding - Dairy
Sueded Silk - Prized Animals/ Mill
Coat of Arms - Loom
Nobleman Outfit - Loom
Maiden's Dress - Loom
Opal - Merryweather Mine
Opal Bracelet - Craft Workstation
Opal Pouch Button - Craft Workstation
Princess Hat - Loom
Yorkshire Pudding - Dairy

The FVCE2 Renaissance Fair Quests

Renaissance Fair 1 of 8
• Visit the Jousting Arena once
• Use boost on the Renaissance Fair Orders board once
• Complete an order on the Renaissance Fair Orders board once

Renaissance Fair 2 of 8
• Send Farm Hands to Grandma's Glade for 3 Dates
• Bake 2 Mince Pies
• Make 2 Veggie Pasties

Renaissance Fair 3 of 8
• Send Farm Hands to Pappy's Pond for 2 Nutmegs
• Whip up 2 Fish Pies
• Make 2 Meads

Renaissance Fair 4 of 8
• Make 3 Bread & Butter Pudding
• Whip up 3 Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Bake 3 Yorkshire Pudding

Renaissance Fair 5 of 8
• Use 2 more boosts on the Renaissance Fair Orders board
• Complete 8 more orders on the Renaissance Fair Orders board
• Get 2 more Bingos on the Renaissance Fair Orders board

Renaissance Fair 6 of 8
• Collect 6 Sueded Silk
• Make 2 Nobleman Outfits
• Craft 3 Maiden's Dresses

Renaissance Fair 7 of 8
• Send Farm Hands to Merryweather Mines for 4 Opals
• Craft 3 Opal Bracelets
• Make 4 Opal Button Pouches

Renaissance Fair 8 of 8
• Use 3 more boosts on the Renaissance Fair Orders board
• Complete 16 more orders on the Renaissance Fair Orders board
• Get 4 more Bingos on the Renaissance Fair Orders board

Happy Playing!
-Masaya

Fighting on for CastleVille Legend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 02:06:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

there is now two active petitions going around the net in the hopes that CastleVille Legends will be saved. One is called, "Zynga Save CastleVille Legend" which was started by Michael Weatherly found at this link, The other is created by Roz Giancola and is titled, "Zynga Players want CastleVille Legends to Continue". Roz's petition can be found at this link.

A voice of unity can create an opening

I had read a bit about the YoVille game that was created by Big Viking Games, bought out by Zynga then shut down and then bought back from Zynga by Big Viking Games. The one thing that stood out to make this happen was this:

On day one of the shutdown, there was a massive outpouring of support from the YoVille community asking if we could buy back the game. We got bombarded over the first 24 hours of the announcement from thousands of YoVille fans. - Big Viking Games

What happened next was that this attracted the attention of Big Viking Games. They then sought out Zynga to which Mark Pincus(former CEO now current leading Board member of Zynga) responded quickly to the idea of selling the rights. Now, YoVille is called YoWorld. It is still ongoing and it is still growing. And it wouldn't have begun to happen if the fans did not come together and create a huge uproar of grief about losing their beloved game.

If the fans of YoWorld hadn’t campaigned as hard as they did to save their game, if Zynga didn’t care to go above and beyond during the transition, and if we weren’t in the position to be able to tackle such a huge undertaking, this wouldn’t have been possible. - Big Viking Games

Then again this could all be a bunch of hubris and nutty positivity to even consider. However, I'd like to believe that if it happened once then it could happen again. Do not give up if you feel CastleVille Legends is worth saving. Sign the petitions, explain how you feel on the main CVL blog about them bringing back another game instead of keeping our own. Reach out to any game developer you know of and email/tweet them your letters. Make Youtube Videos, and start up a hashtag of #SaveCVL(or similar) on Twitter targeting anyone that will listen. If enough of us do this then just maybe something good can happen. At the very least we can say that we tried.

Happy Playing,
Masaya

A Petition to Zynga to Reconsider

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 00:46:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

it's been brought to my attention that a petition to Mark Pincus(CEO of Zynga) has begun circulating about but it needs more signatures. The online petition is called, "Zynga Save CastleVille Legend" which was started by Michael Weatherly,

If you would like your voice to be heard and added to the collective voice of fellow players that wish to change Zynga's mind about closing down CastleVille Legends then please head on over to add your signature to the petition at this address.

A few tips in regards to the petition

Do not put down your full address. If the petition asks for a home address simply put, "city/state".

Write a compelling personal story that shows who’s affected by what’s happening -- for example, friends and family that wouldn't be able to come together again due to living in different countries. Demonstrate the impact of Zynga's decision to close CVL on individuals and the wider community.

Spread the word. Even after you have signed the petition make sure to engage and follow up with more people to continue talking about the petition. Share the petition via as many social media outlets(Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Vine, Snapchat) as you can. The more the petition becomes viral the stronger the impact of the petition will become. Keep building the cause.

And one more thing I'd like to add is to not be discouraged by varying numbers or reach -- if keeping CastleVille Legends open as a cause is important to the community, others will care, too.

Happy Playing,
-Masaya

CastleVille Legends is Closing.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 00:05:00 +0000

CVL shuts down

Official confirmation has been given.

Dear Royals of CastleVille Legends,

CastleVille Legends will be shutting down its doors on March 31st 2016.

It's official.

~~Every player that has crowns will be given the option to transfer the currency to either FarmVille 2: Country Escape or FarmVille Harvest Swap~~. Both are mobile-only games. There will be a form to fill out and you will need your Zynga Player ID and the email associated with the game.

Edit: Bad news everyone, it looks like we are only getting a mystery gift. The crowns we have in CVL will not be transferred!

A thing that isn't mentioned on this page(but I would like to add) is that it is highly recommended that you first install the game you'd like the currency transferred to before filling out the form. This will ensure that you receive your currency transfer properly.

Please visit this page: http://zynga.my/CVLClosure to begin the process once this has been done.

No Refunds

If you are not a fan of either games please know that there will be zero refunds given. This is our only choice as to have our currency transferred.

One Small Request from CVL Group Leaders or Players

If you are a CVL group leader I ask if you have any information/pictures from previous quests/events or guides on CastleVille Legends to please mail the files to me. I would like to archive as much as possible about the game here on the fansite. I'll keep this site up for as long as net life allows.

Please also send how you would like to be credited for the information. If you have a picture of your group/Alliance I'll be happy to credit those as well.

I will also be making a farewell video to CVL that I will post on my Youtube Channel. If you would like your kingdom included then please send me four photos(at least 800x600) of your kingdom or Alliance Group with name/name of Alliance.

Thank you!

Saying Farewell to a Great Game

I don't know about everyone else but I'm not quite ready to say farewell. It's never easy to even start saying such a thing. I am still on the fence about moving forward with my own projects about CastleVille Legends. This is hard. We were given a bit of hope that CVL would move forward but it seems the higher ups have given their final decision on the matter. To be honest, the moment I read that the San Francisco Zynga office was being closed down(and sold off) I had a feeling this may happen. And it did, and it does not feel good at all.

In closing, I want to thank each and every one of you for being a part of my fanblog. Over the years I had posted hints and sneak peek guides that only a small group of players ever saw. As time passed and word spread amongst the community, this fansite grew to the point I was able to reach over 4000 CastleVille Legends visitors.

I am so grateful to all that helped to make this little site what is today. If you have any questions or would like to keep in contact via mail I can be reached here or you can send me messages on Google+ or post a comment on any of the fansites(I'll post those at the end) I upkeep.

Thank you for your continued support over the years. It has been an adventure.

-Masaya
"Happy Playing!"

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LadyDarkFire

Google+: https://www.google.com/+MasayaSilverwynde

All My Alts: A World of Warcraft Fansite

Royal Ever After: A Royal Story Fansite

Country Escape: A FarmVille 2 Country Escape Fansite

Love isn't Fair in CastleVille Legends

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 01:28:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's day Royals! I have a question for you to ponder. Have ever noticed that the romantic relationships in CastleVille Legends are often sad tales that border on tragic? Apparently, not everything is rosy in our kingdoms and that's a shame.

Bluebelle's Peril

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue.
Every time I look at the stars, I think of you.
- Bluebelle

Bluebelle has been searching for Bramble(*The Flower Fairy Prince*) since the fated day he was banished away by dark magic. She's looking for help from anyone to find Bramble. The blue flower fairy is even willing to pit friends(Giovanni VS Magnus) against each other in order to catch a small glimpse of her Prince. When Bramble is finally found will he like how manipulative Bluebelle has become?

Hearts Apart

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue.
Us getting together, is well overdue.
- Captain Pym

We last left off with discovering that neither Captain Pym nor Ula the mermaid could be with one another either in land or sea. Although they can't be fully together(yet) the two lovers aren't giving up hope to one day be united whether in the ocean or on land. Until then, Pym will continue as the captain of our trading ship so that he can continue to see his mermaid love in our kingdom.

Going to the Chapel

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue.
I can't wait to spend our lives together, and that is true.
- Rafael

This romance first started off on a bad foot. Rafael had thought to impress Yvette with a dragonscale necklace but it turned out to be a horrifying experience for the "friend to all dragons" maiden. How was he to know that it would offend her? He had just met the lady! However, Rafael wasn't deterred. Time after time he began to court Yvette from cooking pastries, carving intricate gifts, saving her from perils untold, to even rescuing countless helpless kitties in a huge tree. Gradually Rafael warmed his way into her heart and he proposed marriage to which Yvette happily accepted.

Until Bryon appeared.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue.
There's nothing I wouldn't do to get a dragon from you.
- Byron

The moment Byron the Human Prince of the Eastern Kingdoms appeared, the engagement with Rafael was forgotten. Yvette allowed herself to be mesmerized by Bryon's charm to the point of having a dragon's egg stolen right from under her. It was no wonder that Rafael had felt jealous of Byron. Worse yet, the engagement(and relationship) between Yvette and our rugged woodsman is still up in the air.Was Yvette ever truly in love with Rafael and if so, will they ever get married?

Only time will tell.

Happy Valentine's Day/Single Awareness Day to all!
-Masaya of
Royal Legend

What do Zynga earnings mean for CastleVille Legends

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 17:45:00 +0000

Above: Inside of Zynga
Image Credit: Zynga.com

On February 10th, a conference call for Zynga's investors revealed its earnings for the 4th quarter. During this meeting Zynga had the chance to 'show and tell' about what it has earned in revenue and what it intends to do as it moves forward into the new year. Social gaming company Zynga managed to beat Wall Street's figures for its 4th quarter but at the same time it also lost quite a bit. The good news is that the company also managed to stabilize the revenue from its most valuable games as it made an improvement in making money from its core players. The problem lies in the fact that the core number of users is down.

Why FarmVille 2: Country Escape has events and CastleVille Legends currently does not

CastleVille Legends players know best how hard it is to retain interest in a game that is seemingly being isolated from other event-heavy mobile games such as FarmVille 2: Country Escape. Why is that? Why does FV2 receive events during a period when CVL has a possible drought? The sad truth of the matter is that in comparison; CVL does not create as much money as FV2 makes on a daily basis. And money talks.

Above: Revenue graph by franchise

Image Credit: Zynga.com

The graph above(click for larger view) demonstrates the amount of revenue that each franchise brings in for Zynga. Games representing less than 10% of online game revenue in any period are included in “Other Online Games” which happens to be the category that CVL falls into at the moment. The FarmVille franchises earn quite a bit while the "Other Online Games" earn a combined amount of what the FV titles bring in to Zynga's coffers.

Above: Play sign at the Zynga SF building

Image Credit: Zynga.com

The core base of users are migrating away from Facebook and into Mobile

One of the interesting things noted in Zynga's conference call was the fact that Zynga reported the money it made from mobile games grew by 35%, while revenue from web games almost matched that in decline, falling 32 percent. Zynga is still struggling with how to increase its number of users. It has generally been gaining users on mobile, but it is losing them on Facebook desktop as more users switch to mobile, where Zynga faces more competition.

Above: Play sign at the Zynga building

Image Credit: Zynga.com

What Zynga intends to do in the near future

In order to bring people back to their games Zynga will release 10 new titles including a sequel of FarmVille 2 as well as bringing back CityVille to mobile. Zynga will also concentrate on their casino games and begin making use of their latest acquistion of Zindagi Games; a company best known for its Match-3 titles.

For CastleVille Legends players this doesn't mean very much at the moment when new content is dry. When will we see new quests or events? Although I cannot give an exact answer to this I can say that Zynga will be focusing its attention to retain its current player base. The last thing they want is to drive the few remaining players it has away to the competition. What this may mean is that we will begin to see quests/events finally begin to roll out as the company wants to keep us on board. Now that the investors know what has been earned(and lost) the company can move forward with any plans they have discussed at the conference call.

The hard part is the waiting.

-Masaya of
Royal Legend

Giovanni's Contraption has arrived

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 22:28:00 +0000

Giovanni's Contraption

Hello Royals,

Giovanni's Contraption has arrived. Good luck and fill up those meters to snag a few workshop boosts for your kingdom.

For newer players, I'll explain about what it is and what it does. This mini quest is called, Giovanni's Contraption. It first debuted into our kingdoms on December 27th 2014. \You'll find it's located in the Cinder Caldera section of your kingdom which is just South of Mount Cinder.

Craft to fill up the fuel gauge

Fuel Gauge for Giovanni's Contraption

Basically, you craft the ingredients needed to add fuel to the fuel gauge. A player will receive rewards for each time that you turn in the specified items. The rewards go up in value the closer the fuel gauge becomes full. Once the meter is completely filled you will get a workshop boost.

A few things to know

Craft, fuel the gauge, profit.

There is a set time limit to accomplish filling up the fuel gauge before Giovanni's Contraption flies off. Once the time on the clock runs out the mini quest will no longer be active until it randomly comes back for a new round.

Remember:

Items can be traded/bought via Global Market. They do not have to be crafted.

The workshop boosts rewarded are random.

The ingredients needed are also random. Not every player will have the same items to craft.

Good luck!
-Masaya
Royal Legend

All New Zynga Player Support Site

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 17:58:00 +0000

Have a question? Search for an answer

Salutations Kings and Queens,

the all new Zynga Player Support Site has finally arrived. For those that have been wondering about the state of the game I do believe that this will partially reaffirm that CastleVille Legends will remain. If the CVL game was going to be drop the game it would probably the CVL support page would not be included in the new support page. At the very least it gives a bit of hope about the game continuing along at some point.

The Landing Page for All Platforms

When you first arrive on the new Zynga support page you'll be greeted with this view. The game you and platform(PC, IOS, Andriod) you choose on this page will determine the articles shown. Basically, choosing the platform for your questions will then tailor the answers that you seek.

Chat support is being tossed out. We know have email support for now. The big red button on the top right of the screen is how you will directly contact the CVL support team via email.

Ad block Plus or Ublock Orgin addons are not welcome at a Zynga site

Ever curious, I clicked on the red button. I was greeted with this message. Strange little thing. I don't disable my cookies since I have my browser clean my cache at the end of my browsing session. After a bit of thought I realized it wasn't the 'cookies' preventing me from accessing their support page but my pop-up blocker. So if you have a browser addon or extension that blocks ads, or any sort of pop ups, then you want to temporarily pause it if you want to contact Zynga email support.

Zynga Contact Page

After pausing my pop up blocker extension(*shakes fist*) I was able to access their contact form. It's a straight forward form. I hope they make their font a bit stronger in color. The soft graytext on a white background is a bit too light on the eyes. Whoops, sidetracked! So, we can provide name, type of platform we are playing the game upon, alongside game ID if on mobile or FB UID if you play on Facebook. We can also attach pictures and provide the time of when our incident occurred. From there, it'll be either a few hours to a day or two to get a reply.

And that is their new support site in a nutshell. According to Zynga they will be adding new features as the months go by us.

Zip VIP program and Beta Testers Note: Speaking of changes, the beta testers as well as the Zip VIP program will also experience coming changes as well. If you were a part of the Zip VIP be sure to cash in your rewards before February 28th 2016 as that part of the program will be discontinued on that date. No worries, the feedback portion of the program will continue forward but only for a diverse few so make sure to check your inboxes for a new email.

In closing, hopefully all these new changes point out to the loyal remaining players that CastleVille Legends will continue to move forward. Now that the Zynga support site is out of the way, it could possibly mean we are going to start hearing news about upcoming events very soon.

Which is a good thing to look forward to because for a good while there I was immensely worried. I think we all are waiting with bated breath for the day a new quest/event comes along. Until then...

Happy Playing everyone!
Masaya of
Royal Legend

CastleVille Legends: White Screen Loading Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 18:20:00 +0000

CastleVille Legends: Having White Screen Problems

Hello Royals,

if you currently have a 'white screen' issue when loading your game via PC you are not alone. Thankfully, the CVL team is aware of the problem. For now, the only solution is to play on your Mobile device while they work on resolving the issue.

~~There is no band-aid to click so I posted a screen capture of what the page states to spare you an extra visit to their site.~~ I'll edit this entry when Zynga Support repairs the problems with Facebook. To be honest, I was hoping they would also post a quick update on the status of the game.

Update: Band-aid fix is now available at the bottom of the page at this link:(Make sure you are logged into your Facebook account before clicking the band-aid fix. It will not fix the game automatically but instead alert the support staff that you are having problems:

https://zyngaplayersupport.com/article/castleville-legends/White-screen-when-loading-CastleVille-Legends-en_US-1452861144897

Happy playing?
-Masaya of
Royal Legend

Keeping Watch in CVL

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 01:44:00 +0000

Welcome to Royal Legend in 2016

Kings and Queens,

it seems that CastleVille Legends is still on a small break until further notice. Things can still be bright as we look forward to new adventures in our kingdoms. For myself, this means I can finally start finishing up the character pages/places of legends combos that I've been meaning to finish. I'll also be putting up a new site theme. Maybe even have another go at Myra's Market meter(although certain markets are a bit hellish).

What's New?

Nothing new as of yet for our kingdoms. However, Zynga will be releasing a new support website(I think this is their 3rd design) this month which will have all of the Zynga games together with various support articles. More or less, what we have now, minus the annoying login system that often did not work for all players. Their plan is to eventually add in other support options so that we we can get in touch with support easier.

If time allows I have been thinking about developing a nonprofit visual novel for CastleVille Legends. A visual novel is an interactive, mixed media, minimal game. Basically a light novel with video game aspects/cartoon graphics. This is something that will take a bit of time since I'm only one person(not a professional either *sobs*) but it seems fun in my mind. I always wanted to explore the game story further than what the CVL team has been giving us. And although it's ambitious of me I think some of you might enjoy it as well. I'll probably write another blog post to pitch a few ideas and show some examples of what I mean at a later date.

I hope you all are doing well. The crystal ball has yet to show anything new but I will continue to check. I hope to have good news soon. Whether trying out a new game or upgrading your castle vaults to max level. Always remember ---

Happy Playing!
- Masaya
Royal Legend

Happy Holidays to all Royals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 08:00:00 +0000

Have a bright and magical holiday

Click to see Full View

Dear Royals of CastleVille Legends,

I was going to try to make a small Christmas movie but I ran out of time. The holidays are really hectic aren't they? Instead, I made a festive e-card for you all. Thank you for bringing me the gift or your friendships. Wishing you all a fun and fantastic holiday for you, your family and Alliances.

Merry Christmas!
-Masaya

All Quiet on the CVL Front

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 03:38:00 +0000

Grumpy fish in the pond. Sal was really something else in Castleville.

Dear Royals,

it's been a little quiet in our kingdoms but this is not necessarily the doom and gloom a few players are making it out to be. Until we hear from the mouth of an official employee that the game is to close it is all speculation.

Zynga is a company

We as players often forget that our favorite game is created by a software development company. More precisely, a video game developer. Anything and everything can change in the software development world, for reasons that are often impossible to predict ahead of time. As a result, you'll find any developer hesitant to 100% commit to anything. This is because there's always a very real chance that there's something they haven't thought of that makes what they want to do impossible.

Finding bugs, implementing fixes, testing those fixes, finding more bugs (sometimes caused by those fixes)... it all adds up to a lot more work being needed then originally expected. And as a result, what they originally thought would only take a few weeks could end up taking a couple months. And that's just the game bugs. There are also several factors that could be delaying things.

Zynga Cafe

Did you Know

Currently, Zynga is undergoing a small restructure in their business. The CFO(Chief Financial Officier) has resigned and they are looking for a replacement. Due to having to streamline the way they do things a 10% workforce cut has been issued. Future games are being postponed until next year and current games are being trimmed to remove excess(I'm talking about extra bonuses or bringing us events 24/7) so they can continue moving forward.

There's also the fact that Flash in itself is being considered an ancient, disposable thing. It's far too easy to exploit and allows several ways to harm our mobile devices/computers. A lot of the main browsers as well as companies(such as Facebook) are looking for something more stable to replace it. Speaking of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg(sp?) is even considering blocking game notifications because it blocks the social notifications of Facebook. He doesn't like the competition and is ready to get rid of it. Basically, there is a ton on all of the software development companies plates.

Yvette, hurry up and marry Rafael

The Sky is not falling

...at least not that we know of until we are told by an official decree. Despite a smaller, active playerbase the Zynga company has finally found a way to retain a remaining loyal portion of players that also are happy to fund their games. I think that is why we were given Hazel's land expansion alongside quite a few crowns. It was the CVL team's way of trying to make us happy with the time and resources they had at hand.

This got a bit lengthy but that's why Royal Legend is a fanblog. :P Seriously though, I just also know that it's better to not expect much and be pleasantly surprised, than to feel like a promise was broken.

At least that's my opinion.

Happy playing,
Masaya of
Royal Legend

Possible Error: Welcome Back quests

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 02:04:00 +0000

Welcome back possible errors...

Seriously, apologies for any hopes of at least busywork. The possible roll-out quests are now being regarded as a glitch by Zynga Moderators. Apparently a few fellow Royals also have various other quests from the past showing up in their quest logs.

This is the current Moderator's response:

Happy playing? *sobs*

I would hold off from doing anything if these quests have re-appeared in your quest log as there is a strong possibility any progress will disappear. Although I generally take what the Zynga Moderators say with a grain of salt (They are the community watchers not the actual developers) I do agree it's best to not waste materials and wait things out.

We'll soon see what the CVL team really has in store for us if anything.

Again, apologies. I'm sure this discredits me quite a bit but it's not my intention to ever bring out false information. I only put out things as they appear. Sometimes it works out in our favor but alot of other times it does not. :<

Take care,
Masaya

Welcome Back, Meryl - Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:10:00 +0000

Re-Introduce yourself to Meryl of the Shifting Sands

Hello again for the first or second time.

whilst exploring around in the hopes of stumbling upon a Christmas quest something else has arisen in its stead. Debuting for a second time on December 8th is the return of the quest, "Welcome Back, Meryl".

Stealth Edit 5:36 PM: Possible roll-out glitch as not only are these quests coming up again for some Royals but also various other quests from the past. Although I generally take what the Zynga Moderators say with a grain of salt. In the past, they have given out bad advice to players due to not knowing any details from the developers.We'll soon see what the CVL team really has in store for us.

When Meryl was first introduced in the Shifting Sands event these quests came along with it. The quests were suppose to stick around to help new players discover her. However, they did not. Lately there have been an influx of new/seasoned players that have no clue whom poor Meryl is so this is to help jog the memories of fellow Royals.

The quests will appear without a timer.
If you completed them before they will appear again.
These quests are not mandatory. Do them at your leisure if you'd like to complete the quests.
There are no rewards(apart from EXP) for completing the quest.

Note: This is the possible second addition that may appear as well. Please remember that its all subject to change at the whimsy of the CVL team. I have no control over their sillyness when it happens.

Possible Second Part Quests

Griffon Feathers 1 of 4

Griffon Feathers 2 of 4

Griffon Feathers 3 of 4

Griffon Feathers 4 of 4

Happy playing,
Masaya of
Royal Legend