Farmville Lightning Collections: How They Work

Farmville, the mega hit Facebook application by Zynga, introduced the Farmville Gemstone Collection last month, the first in a promised forthcoming series of Lightning Collections. Here's an overview of this first Farmville Lightning Collection, including information on how it works, how to collect items, what you'll get upon redemption and how long the offer will last.

Farmville Lightning Gemstone Collection -- What You'll Need

The Farmville Gemstone Collection requires players to collect a total of 47 shiny stones. There are six different gemstones to find, including Topaz, Amethyst, Turquoise, Ruby, Emerald and Diamond. The following quantities are required for redemption:

Topaz: 10
Amethyst: 10
Turquoise: 10
Ruby: 7
Emerald: 7
Diamond: 3

Three gemstones, including topaz, amethyst and turquoise, are available on a rotating basis via the Farmville free gifts menu. Check out Farmville Freak, an online blog devoted to the popular game, if you're interested in direct gifting links.

Players are awarded with the other three collectibles -- ruby, emerald and diamond -- via typical farming activities. Upon discovery of one of these gemstones, the user is presented with a pop-up box allowing him to share a gem with his friends. A limited number of Facebook friends can click on their friends' feeds to claim shared stones.

For less patient players or those with fewer neighbors from whom gifts can be received, there's also an option to purchase individual gemstones toward collection completion. To buy stones, open your Farmville Lightning Collection menu by selecting the 'Collections' tab under the 'Ribbons' menu item. Then click the 'Lightning' tab. Click the 'buy' button under the gemstone you'd like to purchase. Note that you'll pay a hefty fee for the convenience: Topaz, amethyst and turquoise run 1 FV cash each; ruby and emerald total 2 FV cash apiece; and diamond runs a whopping 3 FV cash per stone. My advice: Since Farmville cash is hard to come by for users who don't spend actual money on the game, save yours for a rainy day and add more friends to help build your collection the free way.

Upon completion of the entire Farmville Gemstone Lightning Collection, players are rewarded with a unique gemstone-themed trophy as well as 200 XP toward leveling up. Rewards can be found inside your gift box.

General Farmville Lightning Collection Information

Unlike regular collections, Farmville Lightning Collections can be completed and redeemed just one time each; permanent collections are eligible for unlimited redemption. They're advertised as available for just a limited time, but no one's yet sure about the precise definition of 'a limited time'. To be safe, get busy sending out free lightning collection items and clicking on freebies that appear in your Facebook friends' feed as soon as new lightning collections are introduced. Now get to work!