Game update: 01/10/14

October has landed, but there's no Autumn or Halloween content to be seen!

Notification for latest Summer update

I'm not entirely sure what the theme of this update is except that it's an outdoor outlook. If I had to attach a season I'd go for Summer, which is rather disconcerting on the first day of October!

The new stuff is unlocked at level 14 (with the exception of the LTO which is available to all) and here's the usual list:

Tables:

• Lawn Table - 2 gems

Chairs:

• Lawn Chair - 3,500 coins

Wall decorations:

• Wind Chimes - 6,000 coins

Floor decorations:

• Trampoline - 21 gems
• Sandbox - 9,500 coins
• Wall Hedge - 5,000 coins
• Round Hedge - 5,000 coins

Wallpapers:

• Backyard Fence - 1 gem

Floor tiles:

• Stepping Stone - 3,000 coins

Appliances:

• Ice Cream Machine - 10,000 coins (LTO)

Counters:

• Brick Counter - 7,000 coins

The lack of Autumn stuff is causing some real annoyance among the players (and I am mildly disappointed too) but at least this is a sound update. Those who were expecting goals today will have to wait until next week when it has been confirmed that TeamLava will release a new goal set. Whether this is in a Halloween theme or not is still unknown, but I'd be very surprised if it wasn't.

Let's commence the analysis with the Ice Cream Machine.

Ice Cream Machine limited time offer

You'll find this limited time offer on the second page of the appliances tab in the market. This is a limited time offer with a difference as the Ice Cream Machine has been in the game before. It was part of the World Games updates in the summer of 2012, and so has been available to only a small band of players for a long time. But a recent poll on the TeamLava Forum has given everyone an opportunity to vote for what they'd like to see return for a limited time and the Ice Cream Machine proved the most popular.

I got this appliance at the time (it was from the very first goal of my playing career!) so this LTO isn't exactly driving me to the bank. But it is nice for newer players to get a chance to get hold of this long lost machine, even if its recipes are dreadful statistically. I'm also a little downbeat that only the one item from the poll got brought back. I expected the top three or four to get returned, but it seems that was a misplaced assumption. Maybe some of the other heavily backed pieces will make an appearance in the coming weeks, including some of those outwith the poll which have been suggested...

Beyond the LTO, I'm certainly digging the Stepping Stone flooring. The colouring is close to perfect to allow a blending with the Summer Grass floor tile, meaning we can mix and match the two as we see fit. This flexibility is a massive plus point, so credit to the gamemakers there. And the appearance of the Stepping Stone is pleasing too - the stones look slightly weathered and the longer blades of grass are emphasised nicely.

The Trampoline has the dark green grass attached, so works with the two aforementioned floor tiles. It can be seen in an image from the TeamLava Blog:

Items from latest update as shown on TeamLava Blog

Like the Hut Bar last week, the gem price is pretty good for a large and prominent item. I do have a couple of concerns though - the girl in mid-air doesn't look realistic. She looks too upright and elegant to have just launched herself up! And the surrounding net is too simple, almost as if the designers couldn't be bothered doing anything remotely intricate.

Also shown above is the Sandbox. Once again we've got a financial titan on our hands! This time it's just 9,500 coins for this 3x3 item which again features some 'action'. Off the top of my head I can't think of any decoration which gives so much for so little and I expect to see this one displayed in a lot of restaurants in the coming days.

There are two more floor decorations added to the market, namely the Wall Hedge and Round Hedge. They are both coin purchases, and are fantastic additions. I can't believe that the game's developers hadn't added hedging before now, and I can't believe I hadn't thought of it myself! The Wall Hedge is particularly useful as it can be implemented effectively as a divider separating an outdoor area from an indoor area. I've still got my Autumn Dividers in place for now, but will definitely swap them out, if not soon then for Spring next year!

Another pair of thumbs up are in order for the Wind Chimes and Backyard Fence. The former is again affordable and is quite detailed for such a small item. The variety of colours used for the chimes and the small branch growing out of the top make this a really nice little piece, so much so that it has entered my diner next to the Cider Bar. The wallpaper also appeals due to its flexibility for various settings. It may look really good in my Cider Bar area, but since it's 1 gem each time I'm going to have to pass. Note that the position of the top of the fence part of the design corresponds to the place where the Wind Chimes are attached to the wall, so the two can be combined perfectly.

All that's left are the Lawn Table, Lawn Chair and Brick Counter. These all buck the trend by getting negative reviews from me. The table does have a sophisticated feel, but at 2 gems each is not worthy. The chair needs a longer back and just looks outright poor. And the counter looks very similar to the Aged Brick counter from the Pizza goals. Coming at the same price it has actually got a sweeter finish thanks to a glossy shine on the sides and marble pattern on top, but it doesn't match the Aged Brick wallpaper nor the Pizza Toss.

Meanwhile the recipe famine continues, with us now reaching NINE WEEKS since the last non-goals addition to the collection. Hopefully there's something fresh coming our way during the build-up to Halloween, but I'm not holding my breath.

So although Autumn (and Halloween) remain absent, I'm still feeling pretty good about this update. There are several new goodies which are well worth investing in, and with some really low prices again, they don't need to burn a hole in your purse. However despite my satisfaction, I'm very much expectant when it comes to next week's bonanza - I want to be spooked!