Game update: 18/05/16

It's the golden goals this week, with a new quest introduced and another high end dining theme to go with it.

Introduction to high end dining goals

The colour of gold is the central theme, with lots of bright and shiny décor added to the game. Let's waste no time in taking in a list of all the new stuff:

Tables:

• Fine Table - 14,000 coins

Chairs:

• Fine Chair - 10,000 coins

Wall decorations:

• Fine Wall Lamp - 8,000 coins

Floor decorations:

• Fine Cart - locked by goal
• Gold Column - locked by goal
• Fine Drinking Station - locked by goal

Wallpapers:

• Golden Flourish - 9,000 coins

Floor tiles:

• Golden Squares - 7,000 coins

Appliances:

• Fine Stove - locked by goal
• Fine Oven - locked by goal

Counters:

• Fine Counter - 12,000 coins

As ever with a goals update, a number of the decorations are locked until you reach a certain stage of the goals, and you can read more on how to progress through the quest here. I'll be saving my thoughts on the padlocked items until the goals content report, which will probably be published early next week.

In the meantime, you can get a glimpse of the goodies you'll be bagging during the challenge with a teaser from the Storm8 Blog:

Items from update as shown on Storm8 Blog

This looks like a real winner of an update. I've asked for fancy content for so long, and we've now had it twice in four weeks! The last one was pretty good but was marred by the Fancy Waiter and Fancy Waitress being incorrectly sized. Luckily it appears there are no such issues this time round, which is always a good start.

Homing in on the Fine Table, the familiar sparkly glint is again present, although this is a case where it's clearly acceptable. Somehow this table feels really heavy as if it's made from solid gold. The ornate patterns on the legs around the frame give it an elegant edge, and the slight transparency of the surface which allows the far leg to be slightly visible is a nice touch.

The Fine Counter doesn't have this glass top (remarkable!) and instead focuses on using classical patterns engraved on the golden structure. There's another gleam here, but it's such a powerful item that I'm perfectly happy with that. There are some really suspect counters in the game, but this one is a safe bet - your food is well secured on this weighty counter!

Then there's the Fine Chair which completes a matching trio. The rounded back is a little frustrating since the table and counter have a squareness about them - some consistency on this front would have been satisfying. Nevertheless the lavish patterns are present again, and you get a really high end feel from this chair.

 High end dining theme

 27/04/16 First update

Moving along, the Fine Wall Lamp is a pretty simple wall decoration. The curvy shape and minimalistic style really aids the cause when it comes to the luxurious atmosphere the gamemakers are looking to forge. The rendering of the rounded surfaces is impressive too, leading to a cool piece. Definitely one I can see myself utilising.

And you can place the Fine Wall Lamp on a Golden Flourish wallpaper. Once more there are swirly forms to convey some classiness, and I like how Storm8 have opted against making this a more yellow wallpaper. If it had been I fear it would have become garish and hard on the eyes. As it is, the brassy shade of orange does the business.

Sadly the Golden Squares floor tile is an example of exactly what I've just been talking about. There's some yellow on there, and overall it's just too bright. This is usually bad news when it comes to flooring, as it does catch the eye and sometimes overwhelm a scene. Unless you're looking to make some sort of creative pattern with your floor, it should only ever compliment the main event which tends to come from floor décor. In this case, the tile overpowers.

We've now covered all the new stuff that's readily available to purchase, which means it's time to turn our attention to special offers. One which is on the go as of this evening is the Parisian Picnic which is a permanent market item at 20% off for a limited time.

Notification for sale on Parisian Picnic

Note that this 4x4 piece is not listed near the start of the floor decorations tab, but rather is deep in the market. There's not a familiar orange border around it either, so you'll have even more trouble finding it! Normally the Parisian Picnic costs 55 gems, but it is reduced to 44 gems in this deal.

This is a quality buy, but even this 20% reduction is not enough for me. For 44 gems you're expecting one of the best items the game has to offer, and I personally don't think the Parisian Picnic ticks that box, not least because there are plenty of similar decorations already available. However I'm sure a few players will seize this opportunity and open their gem bag.

The other special deal in the past week was another iOS exclusive Value Pack.

Value Pack including Jousting Arena

The Jousting Arena is the first prize in the Renaissance Chest and is included along with the usual 25 gems. I'd have loved this one for my Middle Ages stop in the Mad Chemist and Lab Assistant's adventure, but alas it's come a little too late. In truth it's only 3x3 in size and doesn't have the level of detail we've come to expect from a lot of large décor. Certainly not one of the better Value Packs, and there have been some appealing ones recently.

So until the goals content report, it's time for us to go our separate ways. I'm really pleased to get another high end dining themed update - it's been such a major absentee from the game down the years, and its good to see Storm8 addressing this. Especially since it's something a lot of players have asked for, myself included!