Many of you are now noticing a new type of notification popping up in your games. Letting you know a neighbor has ventured in there. It looks something like this…(this is from my Galaxy S4)
Now there’s the question of how/why they’re appearing? I think it’s just EAs way of getting you to play your game. Basically EA gives you the option to set up notifications on your phone so you know when your crops are complete, tasks done, etc. You can set this option to ON or OFF. (There are reports though that the names are showing up even with it set to off.) These notifications options are in the same place as setting your Confirm Donut Spend and Volumes.
Just go to your basic menu…
Pull up any group and look for the italic little “i” in the top right corner of the items box…
Change your settings to OFF to avoid notifications. (Turn ON Confirm Donut Spend to avoid accidentally spending those donuts.)
You can turn your Music and Sound Effects up, down, or off too.
Now it gets even weirder. We have reports some names that show are friends you had before but have deleted them. Also that they are ones you’ve never heard of or added at all. I can only say that this is just another name randomizer used I see in many games, past and present, when you play against the “computer” or the game is trying to get you to spend more time playing. They are just there more to get you to notice and play your game. Similar to “Frink” randomly popping up in our games and tagging our buildings. Never know, these new names could get you a new friend if you request them.
UPDATE: 4-8-2014 7AM EST-
As more people are saying that turning off the notifications in their game is still allowing the pops ups to happen, I wanted to point out another location that you may not even realize that can usually be set for ANY app added to your device (depending on the device itself). I will be using my Samsung Galaxy S4 for demonstration on this one. Your device may be in the similar area…
Go to you settings menu on your actual device. Most of them look like a lil gear wheel. You may have them on your screen or hidden away in all of your app icons in your device.
Once in the Settings Menu, look for your Applications Manager. (Mine is under the “More” area.)
Once in your Applications Manager, look for the app you want to make changes to. In this case it is The Simpsons Tapped Out.
Now I am inside the App information itself and can make changes to it. (In my phone, this is also where you can uninstall, make updates, clear cache, move to device or external SD card.) What you are looking for this time is “Show Notifications”. As you can see, it is checked. This means that it may overwrite the game settings and still allow pop ups to come through. So I remove the check mark by clicking on it.
At this time, your device may ask you if you are sure you want to make the change. I do, so I check “OK”.
This usually helps stop those Notifications that sneak through. (I do this for apps like Facebook too. I hate getting a million pop ups.)
Because YOU are all pretty awesome, you sent in some additional help/images to aid your fellow tappers.
Our Addicts reader lapm55 sent this in for their device…
Note for iPhone users:
1. Go to Settings.
2. Click on “Notification Center.”
3. Scroll down to “Tapped Out – Badges, Sounds, Alerts” and click on it.
4. Choose either “None” or “Banners” or “Alerts”… With “None,” you will get no notifications; with “Banners,” you will get notice across top of screen, but no interruption of task; with “Alerts,” you will get notice across middle of screen that interrupts task and requires you to push Cancel or OK.
* * *
Hope this helps iPhoners wanting to eliminate interruptions. 🙂
EvillKitten812 sent in this image that they see when a neighbor enters their town at the same time they are in it.
So there is a lil more information and hopefully help in getting those extra pop ups to stop.
I am curious what YOU are noticing with the changes. Have YOU tried requesting the new names? Do you like this new way of getting us to play? Sound off in the comments below.
Hope this helps to clear up some questions. If not, just ask. Always happy to help.
~Bunny
I’m putting this here because it’s related to the changed notifications, but it might be something useful for everyone else doing the Easter update. I was reading on my iPad and I just got a notification letting me know that my Springfield was overrun and to come visit and zap some bunnies! This feature could be helpful for those who worry that they might not get enough eggs by being away from the game too long to clear the maxed-out bunnies.
I haven’t hit the max bunny time on my B game on my android, but will update if I get a similar notification for that one.
Great info! Thanks for letting everyone know! 🙂
Well, this is interesting. I get the ‘town overrun by bunnies’ notification on my iPad, but do NOT get it on my android device B game. Both games/devices are set to send push notifications and have the system notification settings active for the game, so it appears to be a difference between the two programs.
So for android users, it might be helpful to use a timer to remind you to check the game every 4-5 hours to clear out those bunnies!
I get them off n on with my android. But I usually try not to let it hit 60. I usually get it while I am in the game at neighbors more often.
I haven’t gotten the Bunnys Overun notification and I have an iPad Air, then again there are time I get no notifications at all or they dissapear after popping up.
I do not get notifications about friends on my iPad but my husband got them round about the time he started collecting graves he plays on samsung galaxy tab : is it just android users that have this?
I’m not 100% sure, but I think so. I don’t usually notice on my iOS if a friend visited, but I know always see them on my android.
I have people still visiting my town regularly that I deleted months ago… I get Frink every day, too!
Just ghost remnants in the system. Do you actually see their names on the handshakes? Or just on the notifications?
Handshakes from people long since deleted, not notifications.
That one is odd. I think the ghosting error is messing with your game. Once they are gone, they can’t still tap. I have seen them visit (notifications), but not on handshakes. Only Frink.
Add me I need more friends
Andy_82728
Please place your request in the proper location…or it will just go to waste and disappear in the regular content comment section. 😉
http://tstoaddicts.com/2014/04/15/add-friends-just-in-time-for-easter/
Just had a clear out and got rid of people no loner playing. Have spaces now for new friends. Please add me jaasonwarn275
Add me! Jfish3d 🙂
I’ve been getting friend visit notifications since the day I added my first friends town months ago.
For the first time in a year of playing I’ve switched off the notifications, the constant friend pop ups are bugging me so much, but guess what, it hasn’t worked! I had completely forgotten about the phone settings override so that’s my next port of call, thanks bunny. Also, with the in game friend pop up, while I do my usual flitting between A/B games on my phone, I’ve been getting notifications that my A game has visited my A game, and same goes for the B game, think my phone must be getting confused lol
I need help in this game please friend me ASAP thanks!
Thanks for the info! On another note, where did you get that cool font? Is it a G4 exclusive? I just got a new phone (HTC One M8) and I didn’t see it on that or my old Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It looks great with the Simpson’s touch!
Not sure. I know my chocolate colored GS4 was limited edition. Not sure on the fonts. Lol. 🙂
Maybe it’s a Samsung exclusive as it’s on both my old faithful GS2 and Tab3…?
Hi
To change the font settings on a GS4, you need to go to Settings>My device>Display>Font Style. Here it gives you the option to change the font. I’m not sure if a similar process is available on your phone, but I hope this helps.
THankyou soooo much!
Thanks for the update. I was wondering what those pop ups meant. Mine are blanc. The ones in the notificationbar are just showing the tsto logo and the pop ups in the game have no text, just an Ok-button.
The only time I’ve seen a notification is when I’m visiting someone else’s town and the notification is that I visited me…
Yea, weird!
I’ve been ridiculously busy lately, so many bugs going around and I take care of children. C’mon summer!!! Ugh it’s the winter that never left… but it was 60 today! I think that’s the warmest it’s been since October.
I’m afraid my town is being neglected! I’m only half way to EARL. lol
Luckily I’m not getting the notifications, I always turn those off so it seems to be working. I’m not getting the in-game boxes either. However, the last few days I have had MANY instances of the ghosts of deleted neighboreenos popping into my town, along with Frink – sometimes they tap something useful, but sometimes…*shakes fist* I recognize all the names so far.
I was visited by three people I deleted days ago…freaked me out and…well it made me feel bad…they weren’t terrible neighbors…I just had this large number of people requesting me and some of you rarely visited me anymore…sorry… 🙁
The notifications can be annoying when you want to log in…..but what I hate most is that out of 60 friends, 45 throw me completely out of the game when I visit them. I have to log in 45 times just to visit them. It takes 2 hours to visit them this way….and for 5 days of tapping after getting my last free item….I got 1 as in one, lousy donut!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVILKITTEN812!!! Never had hard ice cream! Have to put that on my Bucket List!
Thanks runic!! Its definitely worth it 🙂
I’ve always gotten notifications when I have had visitors since the day I added my first friends town last December, only once I got a notification and there was no sign of a visitor, maybe they didn’t look hard enough to tap anything and left.. But I still got the note.
And I Haven gotten a free doughnut tapping towns since I got the lighthouse a few days ago, and I have about 40 towns to tap daily.
Any idea why?
We have reports of folks still getting them so keep the faith.
My post on it is coming tomorrow. They’re still there. Just keep tapping. They’re random still.
The doughnuts must be very random, I about tapped 40 towns a day and didn’t get a single doughnut from the end of the Lighthouse quest till the new Future one started today.
Note for iPhone users:
1. Go to Settings.
2. Click on “Notification Center.”
3. Scroll down to “Tapped Out – Badges, Sounds, Alerts” and click on it.
4. Choose either “None” or “Banners” or “Alerts”… With “None,” you will get no notifications; with “Banners,” you will get notice across top of screen, but no interruption of task; with “Alerts,” you will get notice across middle of screen that interrupts task and requires you to push Cancel or OK.
* * *
Hope this helps iPhoners wanting to eliminate interruptions. 🙂
Cool thanks. 🙂
I get alot of people visiting me who I have deleted long time ago. It’s hard enough to have 300 available spaces for my friends to tap on but now I gotta find another 50 or 60 for these INTRUDERS. On the plus size this could be good for a whacking day or even Halloween task.
That’s thinking with the glass half ful!! Giggity giggity giggity goo
They are “ghosts”. They don’t really go to your town. More just an attention getter.
I get in-game notifications of who visited my Springfield on my tablet and must hit OK. Yes, visitors I’ve never heard of. Is it even possible to visit someone else’s Springfield if they are not your neighbor?
No. Just a random name generated to get you to play.
So I was testing put the little donut download bar theory Freak brought up. I started counting how many neighbors that I was able to vandalize the last tap. At 23 I was kicked off and when I loaded back in no free donuts. At 25 I went back to my town and 1 free donut. Not sure if I have enough neighbors to test again but I will let you know 😉
I wish I would have taken a screenshot 🙁 I got one more donut around 20 neighbors that i vandalized the last tap and then a third around 15. Here’s the cool part, in wookiemama’s town I vandalized the last building and the donut popped out! I am gonna have to pay more close attention to that tomorrow.
I had a theory…???… 😉 …now tell me, do we share the same b-day?…812=December, 8th(in europe)… my b-day…???
My B-Day is today 😀 of course, its pouring outside so I get to spend it in doors with tsto & all my friends here.
WOoooHOOooo!!! Now where’s the cake and ice cream? 😛
I made hard ice cream last night 😉 its actually pretty fantastic, kinda like a strawberry colada.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVILKITTEN !!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thank you Freak! Its been a great day trolling the blog Lol!
I’m not getting those but I did switch off the ability for the game to send me any notifications in the Android settings menu. I am getting annoying notifications in game though where a box appears notifying me of a visitor, this doesn’t clear out until I press the ok button on the in-game popup
That is something I haven’t personally seen yet, only heard of it. Send me a screenshot of it? TSTOAddictsblog@gmail.com
next time I see one I will get it sorted, I don’t see them often as it’s pot luck as to when i’m online in my game along with someone else entering my town
I have had this as well. Its a little bit of a stopper when chasing sideshow Bob, but other than that I don’t mind it so much.
The other day I had the Sideshow box, the Mystery Box pop up, and I accidentally had tapped the Golden Scratch…so the “You made Maggie cry” Pop up too. It wouldn’t let me tap them all and I have to hit my back button to escape them. Lol.
Wow Bunny lol. Were you getting a little tap happy?
Just a lil 😉
I’m sending in a screenshot now. I caught one just a few minutes ago. (the notification in game)
Got it. I haven’t seen those in ages. But I disabled app notifications.
Last time I seen them was during the Halloween event when neighbors would drop gremlins in the town.
I don’t know if this is new but its new to me I popped balloons in krusty land and received 5 donuts..awesome 😉
It usually hits on about the 300th pop. It is really cool and one of the only reasons I still journey into my Krustyland. 😉
http://tstoaddicts.com/2013/08/21/hey-hey-its-sideshow-you/
There is a major rumor that Whacking Day is coming Thursday to offset the new Family Guy game and it will be require a store update. So get ready!!
It is just that right now…a rumor. We are all watching closely for any hints from EA. They could drop something new ANY day this week. 😉
I guess its new for you Android users cuz I’ve been getting those on my iPhone for months now. And Homer will announce, “Visitors! Better put on pants…”
I used to pop up now and then. This is like an hourly occurrence for me now. It makes me giggle. 😛
I still have the option to purchase Pokey. Wasn’t an update supposed to get rid of that option in my game weeks ago?
Lol. Pokey just popped back up in my game. It makes me giggle. Yes, it was supposed to go away when the tie in stuff ended. I find it silly Pokey is still there for purchase. 😉
I thought I was just losing my mind and didn’t know the names on my list as well as I thought when I was seeing names that I didn’t recognize. Now I know!
Well I can’t vouch for you loss of mind. Lol 😉
I get push notifications but I dont get the ones that tell you who visited my Springfield that would be very cool if i got those
I’m the same. I use a Samsung S4.
I am just getting empty notifications was wondering what they were but now I know.
I have been getting those for months