I know…I was whining about the length of these events in my last update. I don’t mean to look a gift “spy-gadget” in the mouth (in fact, it’s NEVER advised to look a spy gadget in the mouth, gift or no gift), but, I rEAlly (sorry, can’t help myself now…) want to make it clear that for the most part, I am really (see, I’m trying…) enjoying this update.
It’s not that the dialogue has been great, or that I think that a tidbit of story-line followed by weeks for grinding is the kind of event that EA should just keep doing forever. But, what IS really making me laugh, is the amazingly creative animation that comes with even the smallest Freemium items won in this event. They are clever, hilarious, and continue to make me laugh every time I poke one of them.
Coming from the world of “Claymation,” I appreciate it when someone takes the time to add weird little details, and lot of imagination. Will Vinton’s crew had this talent…and then Nick Park, of “Wallace and Gromit” fame took it to new levels of hilariously weird, inventive, insane gadget ideas.
We all know about “Q” who is Bond’s gadget builder. This update is like morphing “Q” and Nick Park together…into a landscape that would make even the stodgiest CIA spy at Langley smile.
And speaking of Langley (in hushed tones so the microwave can’t hear), I have decided to make my “Spy Central” area a lush, green, tapestry of trees and weird gadgets that are an homage to what happens when you build the headquarters of the world’s top spy agency, in the depths of gorgeous Virginia countryside.
The REAL (see? I didn’t say rEAl) CIA headquarters are situated in a lot of forested area that looks almost like any other modern office building, except for the weird claw-shaped structure that must have been built to signify the global reach of the CIA.
Mine isn’t nearly as forested…but still has loads of trees…manned and otherwise (including a few holo-trees from from the other update).
But for me…the rEAl (this is appropriate…as it is a tribute to the EA programmer that did all of this) fun starts when you tap EVERYTHING that is animated at the same time…making the landscape go nuts!
The trees walk…the billboard shakes his legs, the square goes into full-blown, snoop-mode, the pods go into full erectile majesty (before refraction), and when you send Ned to “check out a dent that looks like Jesus), he might go indoors, but the rats get fried!
Who thinks this stuff up???
“click to enlarge)
And yes…it is kinda cheesy (and EALPish) that the characters we win for completing all of the dossiers are NPCs. But, the animation for them almost (almost) makes up for it. Take a look at this showdown between two of the most “Goth” bad-ass grrrrrlz in the game!
And no. I don’t know what Grindhouse and Booberella are talking about…or what in the heck Tiago is doing with Drederick (full cavity body search anyone?), but I just know that this stuff makes me laugh.
And let’s face it…in a world where the spying, and leaking, and saber rattling is enough to keep you awake at night…everyone could use a good laugh. Right?
What’s YOUR favorite Spy Animation? Let us know what you think. You know we LOVE to hear from you…even if you are listening in through the microwave, or that lamp in the corner. Wait…did that lamp just move?
I really like that they gave us a lot of small things to craft, like letter boxes, manhole covers etc, which can be used as normal decorations, while they have a hidden spy-nimation at the same time. Like someone said before, it reminds me of the weird gadgets in Get Smart, Homer even referenced the shoe-phone in the dialogue. I crafted everything by now, but I am still getting more of everything – and loving it!
That claw-shaped section of the building at Langley? That’s the cafeteria. It has an awesome salad bar and really good handcrafted sandwiches (and there’s a small food court, a Starbucks, AND a Dunkin Donuts. Intelligence analysis runs on coffee and carbs. Never doubt this).
I came close to finding the alien autopsy room in the second subbasement, but every hallway let me back to the indoor running track (no lie, the track is tiny but real).
There isn’t much not to love about this event, all the spy gadgets and d3corations work on both levels to get bus stops is great for the town planners in us. The buildings are cool 2 headquarters with swappable skins multi building to build and collect a new wall and well what’s not to like?
But the Hammock District for me is the best item.
I think my favorite animation came from the manhole cover. I love being able to put it in the street, the fact that it looks so three-dimensional when you tap on it is uncanny, and I like the path they took with designing it!
Agree with all your comments! For the first time, I actually look forward to crafting every item.
Like most, I enjoy so much the animations for the parachutist, manholes, and nothing here to see. Just so lame to see the trees exchanging positions then back to same place after another tap. Plan to get more of those once I have one of everything.
Completely agree, the decorations are the highlight of this event! That poor parachute guy, he must be so bruised by now. Also my town is drowning in sunflowers, heheh.
I’ll be able to craft the last item (castle skin) today, then i guess more sunflowers for the remaining time.
I am a big fan of animation and am often studying and practising animation techniques in my spare time so I love when ea get inventive with animations!
That’s the reason that I play: the design aspect – visual tasks, how an item looks etc. So lazy visual tasks or copy, pasted and slightly edited items kinda annoy me because that item (especially when EA do it with anticipated characters) could have had so much potential 😁
I’m definitely enjoying figuring out different things I can do with all the neat decorations 😊
Watch out the cEA is watching…always watching
LOL..That’s what I’m counting on. I’m keeping them off balance…a Nice post or two, followed with one that whines about the length of the updates.
I love the animation of the guy inside the wall stretching his legs, it reminds me of Get Smart. The other one that makes me laugh is the parachutist.
I KNOW! That one really cracks me up. Very clever.
So far I love the trees, and the baby carriage. These animations are all great, though. Loving this!
Wallace and Gromit have been on my radar since the beginning…and don’t get me started on Shaun the Sheep (the original ones, not the new series). The image of all those sheep (balanced like water skiers) on a scooter, makes me laugh every time I think of it. Poor Gromit has to be the most patient soul in the world…at least some of the inventions kinda worked…sorta…at first…
Anyone for cheese? Crackin idea! 😁
I LOVE W&G. Even though I worked with Will Vinton Claymation, I think that Nick Park’s stuff is better. Funnier…warmer…and more whimsy. I think that Marge and Gromit should dump their “masters” and move in together.
I would LOVE to see that cross over!
Or an invention throw down between Wallace and Frink 🤓👍.
This has been overall a rEAlly grEAt event. It has offered prizes for both premium and freemium tappers. Completion of the doisier tasks net players a character for their Springfield and the doughnut prices have been rEAsonable for those who choose to spend doughnuts on characters they like. I still wish EA would tweak the Gil Deals and lower the prices somewhat.
I rEAlly appreciate your comment!
Another fan of the parachute target here. That poor guy has been falling down an awful lot in my game. 😛
I know…sooooo funny! I have mine outside of my military academy. Training Day gone bad.
If you time it right, you can have him diving from Van Houton’s plane as it passes overhead🙃.
There was (is?) an online game made by the US Army, where you go through basic training, and then do specialist training. One of the drills is parachute training, and the DI says something like “If you put a divot in my field, maggot, I will kick yer ass!” I think of that each time my spy plummets to the target, give the thumbs up, minus a few teeth, and gets swallowed by the target, screaming all the way.
The spy trees also make me chuckle. All in all, a good update animation-wise.
Yeah, what I find interesting is that they made the gadgets out of things that make the city look real, like man-hole covers, ATM machines. All these can be put anywhere! Activate them and your town becomes the biggest spy-espionage city in the electronic device world!
Boom! Exactly…
My favorite anamation is the parachute target. Omg I crack up every time I tap it!!🤣🤣
Echo that