Difference between revisions of "Frequently Asked Questions"

''This article is a work-in-progress.''  Please discuss any comments about the organization of this FAQ on its [[Talk:Frequently Asked Questions|talk]] page.

Additions to the FAQ are welcome.  Please follow the writing style of the FAQ, and feel free to credit yourself at the bottom of this page.  ''Please use a format of ''FAQ-<Section>-<Keyword>'' to link new questions and answers.''

''Please do '''not''' split this article or create a new category for this FAQ, at this time.''  The answers ''might'' eventually be split off this page (depending on the length of this article) into several categoried FAQ articles, ''after'' the game is released, and the section headings and terminology have been revised to match the gameplay and types of new questions that arise on the forums.

Still left to do: Add links to images, where they would be helpful.

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*[[#FAQ-General-Wild|What's a wild Piñata?]]

*[[#FAQ-General-Sour|What's a sour Piñata?]]

*[[#FAQ-General-Pester|Who is Professor Pester?  The Ruffians?]]

*[[#FAQ-General-BreakOpen|Is breaking open a Piñata a bad thing to do?]]

*[[#FAQ-General-MoreInfo|Where can I find out more information about the game?]]

*[[#FAQ-Achievement-List|Where can I find a list of Achievements?]]

*[[#FAQ-Achievement-Award|What's the difference between an Award and an Achievement?]]

*[[#FAQ-UI-Encyclopedia|Where do I learn more about my Piñatas?]]

*[[#FAQ-UI-Label|What's the purpose of labeling a Piñata?]]

*[[#FAQ-UI-GardenItems|What can I place in my garden?]]

== Shops and currency questions ==

*[[#FAQ-Shops-Buy|What can I buy with my chocolate coins?]]

*[[#FAQ-Shops-MoreMoney|How do I get more money?]]

*[[#FAQ-Shops-ReceivePackage|Where do I pick up the Piñata that my friend sent me?]]

*[[#FAQ-Shops-HireHelpers|Where do I go to hire helpers for my garden?]]

*[[#FAQ-Shops-MoreAccessories|How do I get more accessories?]]

*[[#FAQ-Species-Attract|How can I attract a different Piñata species?]]

*[[#FAQ-Species-Rare|Which Piñatas are rare?]]

*[[#FAQ-Species-Create|Can I create new Piñata species?]]

== Multiplayer questions ==

*[[#FAQ-Multiplayer-OnlineGames|What different online modes are there?]]

*[[#FAQ-Multiplayer-ShipPackage|How do I ship a Piñata to a friend?]]

*[[#FAQ-Appendices-Revision|Revision history]]

*[[#FAQ-Appendices-Legal|Legal]]

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Wild|question=What's a wild Piñata?}}

A [[Wild Piñata|wild Piñata]] will be black and white, and appear at the edge of your garden.  Once it becomes a resident, its monochrome colors will change into their more vibrant colorful pattern.

Wild Piñatas are attracted to your garden, by meeting the [[Attracting new species|right conditions for each species to appear]]. For example, specific flowers and trees, or piñatas that already reside in your garden, can capture the interest of a Wild Pinata. Once a Wild Piñata has appeared, you can entice it to become a resident in your garden by providing it with what it needs to be happy there.

You can see which [[Wild Piñata]]s are visiting your garden, by opening your Journal's [[Encyclopedia]].  The Encyclopedia will show you the specific requirements that you need to meet, for your visitors to become residents.

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Sour|question=What's a sour Piñata?}}

A [[:Category:Sour|sour Piñata]] is red and black, and a troublemaker!  When one appears, it will start fights, smash garden objects, or scare off other residents.  It's filled with sour candy, so you generally don't want to break it open, as your other Piñatas will rush over and eat the candy, which will make them [[Sickness|ill]].  [[Taming sour pinatas|Taming a Sour]] will bring out its good habits, and it will become a helpful resident around the garden.

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Tame|question=How do I tame a sour Piñata?}}

See [[Taming sour pinatas]] for details.

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=AnySpecies|question=Can any species become a sour Piñata?}}

No.  While eating sour candy will make a Piñata ill, they will not become a Sour, themselves.  It's likely that there are only a few [[:Category:Sour|Sour species]].

Note: ''It's possible that the only way to obtain a [[Macaraccoon]], [[Bonboon]], [[Cocoadile]], or [[Shellybean]] resident for your garden, is by taming a Sour, as non-Sour Wilds of those species might not exist.  Of course, you could always ask a friend to [[Crate|ship]] you a tame one.''

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=GreenYellow|question=Why did my Piñata turn green and yellow?}}

A green and yellow Piñata is [[Sickness|ill]].  Piñatas can become ill for several reasons:

* Not having enough room to roam, or

* Just general random illness.

Even [[:Category:Sour|Sours]] can become ill, as the Macaraccoon image shows.

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Heal|question=How do I heal a sick Piñata?}}

It's not known at this time if you can actively heal your own residents.  However, there are two characters that will show up.  One is a friendly [[:Category:Helper|helper]] named Dr. Patchingo, who will heal your ill Piñata for you.  The other is a Witch Doctor named Dastardos who probably isn't very helpful.  He'll try to break open your sick Piñata to put it out of its misery.  Of course, this is not a good thing for several reasons, as you'll have to wait for that Piñata species to return as a [[Wild Piñata|Wild]] and become a resident again.  Also, other nearby Piñata will probably eat the sour candy, and become ill themselves.

Gameplay Tip:  ''Your best bet, is to try to avoid sickness in the first place, by keeping your animals happy, well-fed, and giving them plenty of room to roam. Also don't break open any Sours!''

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Romance|question=How do I get two Piñatas to romance?}}

First, you'll need a [[Housing|house]] for that species, so they'll have a place to be romantic.  Next, introduce two of the species, and little red hearts will appear over them, after they get close.  You'll have to play a [[Romance Dance|romance minigame]] maze to get the two to meet up.  Once you successfully meet them up, they'll disappear into their house, and you'll get to watch their romantic mating dance.  (Each species has their own unique dance.)

{{FAQkeytable}} Highlight one Piñata and press the A key to select it.  Your cursor will split into two.  Highlight a second Piñata of the same species and press A to direct them together to be romantic.

|}

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Pester|question=Who is Professor Pester?  The Ruffians?}}

Not much is known yet about interactions with [[Professor Pester]] and his [[Ruffian]]s in the game.

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Customize|question=In what ways can I customize my Piñatas?}}

* Name each Piñata resident,

* Use the [[Label Designer]] to label their [[Label|tag]] with unique information about them, and

* Outfit them with [[accessories]] that you can get from the [[Shop]]s.

The tag actually is quite useful, as it contains a record of ''every'' garden that the Piñata has visited. It's possible that Piñatas could be traded on a round-the-world trip!

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=BreakOpen|question=Is breaking open a Piñata a bad thing to do?}}

Yes, yes, and yes.  When your back is turned, Piñatas will actually talk about you.  Seriously.

If you break open too many, there are consequences.  Other [[Wild Piñata|Wilds]] of that species will have heard that your garden isn't a friendly place for them, and they'll be less likely to visit or become residents.

Besides, how would you feel about being whacked with a shovel? <!-- CIA bunnycombs will throw carrots at you! -->

The only initial effect that is known, is that some Piñatas are nocturnal (they like to sleep during the day).  So, you might see different species roaming about the garden, depending on what time of day it is.  See [[Day and night cycle]] for more information.

There's no definite answer, but it's likely that it doesn't.  Your garden will most likely be in the same state you left it in (e.g. flowers won't have died from lack of water, Sours won't have scared other Piñatas away).

{{FAQanchor|section=General|keyword=Fence|question=Is it better to fence in Piñatas, or let them free roam?}}

Like any good issue, '''moderation''' is the key.  You want to strike a balance between [[Food chain|protecting your Piñatas]] from other species or [[:Category:Sour]]s, and giving them plenty of room to roam.  (If they don't have enough room to roam, they will become [[Sickness|ill]].)  In addition to protecting your Piñatas, [[Fence|fences]] also help protect your [[:Category:Garden Piece|garden objects]].  There's nothing worse than a free-roaming [[Elephanilla]] trampling your garden, and eating your flowers!  Also, some species don't get along with other species, and they'll start fighting each other.  Fences are one way to help isolate species and prevent fights.

There are several release dates that have been mentioned by various unofficial sources.  November 2, November 6, and November 14, 2006 are likely dates.  Either way, it seems possible that we'll all be playing [[Viva Piñata]] by mid-November, if all goes well!

The [[PinataIsland.info:Community Portal|Community Portal]] has several links to official Viva Piñata websites.  There's also a lot of information at this wiki, which the [[Site Map]] will help you to find.  Another good source of information is the [http://www.vivapinataforum.com/register.php?referrerid=20 Viva Pinata Forum] (where most wiki contributors are members).

See the [[Achievements]] article for a complete list of achievements.

Good question!  While [[Achievements]] are like any other game, Viva Piñata has added ''lots'' of [[award]]s for completing various tasks, or for winning competitions. These awards will help you compare your accomplishments with other players, such as to see who has raised the best breed of a species.

{{FAQanchor|section=UI|keyword=Encyclopedia|question=Where do I learn more about my Piñatas?}}

Your Journal's [[Encyclopedia]] is the best in-game source of information about your Piñatas.  You can also read up on each [[:Category:Species|species]] right here at the wiki.

{{FAQanchor|section=UI|keyword=Name|question=How do I name a Piñata?}}

Select a Piñata to rename, then use its [[Encyclopedia]] page to rename it.

{{FAQkeytable}} Select a Piñata with the cursor, then press the Y button to open the Encyclopedia.  Press the A button to bring up a dialog, where you can type in a new name for that Piñata.

{{FAQanchor|section=UI|keyword=Label|question=What's the purpose of labeling a Piñata?}}

Each Piñata has a [[Label|tag]], like what you'd find on a plush animal.  A Piñata's tag contains useful information about that Piñata, such as its name, which garden it came from, and your gamertag.  When a Piñata travels from garden to garden, as you ship one around to a friend, each place that it visits is recorded on the tag.  You can use the [[Label Designer]] to customize each Piñata's tag.

{{FAQanchor|section=UI|keyword=GardenItems|question=What can I place in my garden?}}

There are all sorts of [[:Category:Garden Piece|garden objects]] that you can add to your garden.  They range from flowers and vegetables, to bushes and trees, [[Fence|fences]] and paths, [[Housing|houses for each species]], and even [[Statues]] for your garden.  Most items can be bought from [[Shop]]s in the [[Village]] with [[Currency|chocolate coins]], or downloaded from the [[Xbox Live Marketplace]].  Several items have upgrades that you can buy, such as sturdier fences.

See [[Designing your garden]] for some helpful tips about locating garden objects.

{{FAQanchor|section=UI|keyword=Fences|question=Are some fences better than others?}}

Yes.  While the specifics aren't known, there are sturdier fences that you can obtain from the a [[shop]] in the [[Village]].  For example, a stone fence is more likely to be sturdier than a wood fence.  This is important, when you have larger Piñatas that can trample your flowers, or Sour [[Macaraccoon]]s, who like to destroy things.

It's not known for sure, but there are three possibilities:

* The leaves around the sun are white and blue, and ''might'' be a general [[Watering Can#Water Meter|Water Meter]], or

You can use the Water Meter to help determine how much water is needed, while watering your garden.

The list is probably too long to mention everything, but here are a few items available at the Village [[shop]]s:

*Hiring [[:Category:Helper|Helpers]] for your garden,

*Upgrading your [[:Category:Tool|Tools]],

*More seeds, vegetables, and trees,

*Accessories for your Piñatas,

*New (or upgrades) objects for your garden,

*Domestic pets, such as cats or dogs.

*Smashing a garden object,

*Selling a pinata, or

*Selling items (e.g. milk or honey).

{{FAQanchor|section=Shops|keyword=ReceivePackage|question=Where do I pick up the Piñata that my friend sent me?}}

Visit '''Fanny Franker's Post Office''' in the [[Village]] to receive your [[Crate|package]].

{{FAQkeytable}} Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the [[Village]] option from the menu, and press the A button.

|}

Visit '''Arfur's Inn''' in the [[Village]] to hire [[:Category:Helper|helpers]].  Helpers are available for weeding, sprinkling, watching, gathering and digging.  You can also hire '''Gretchen Fetchem''' to track down lost strays.

{{FAQkeytable}} Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the [[Village]] option from the menu, and press the A button.

|}

{{FAQkeytable}} Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the [[Village]] option from the menu, and press the A button.

|}

Visit '''Costolot's General Store''' in the [[Village]] to buy more seeds and vegetables.

{{FAQkeytable}} Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the [[Village]] option from the menu, and press the A button.

|}

{{FAQanchor|section=Shops|keyword=MoreAccessories|question=How do I get more accessories?}}

Err... perhaps in the [[Village]]? ;)

You can also download more [[Accessories]] from the [[Xbox Live Marketplace]].

{{FAQanchor|section=Shops|keyword=Downloadables|question=What Downloadables are available for the game?}}

There are no exact specifics, but [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]] has said there will be close to 700 downloadable [[Viva Piñata]] items available on the [[Xbox Live Marketplace]].

These items will probably range from gamer pics and themes, to new [[Accessories]] for your Piñatas and [[:Category:Garden Piece|items]] for your garden

Hopefully, there will even be new Piñata species to download.

Naturally, these Downloadables will be spread out over a period of time, and not all released at once.

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=CatsDogs|question=Are there cat and dog Piñatas?}}

Yes.  '''Miss Petula's Paper Pets''' carries domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, that would not be available as Wild Piñatas.

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=DifferentSpecies|question=How many different Piñata species are there?}}

There are 60 (or more) different Piñata species.  [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]] has mentioned that it's likely a player will only attract about 30 for their first garden.

As you progress through the game, you'll be asked to make choices.  The decisions you make will affect which Piñatas you can [[Attracting new species|attract]] into your garden.  All is not lost, however, if you need a [[:Category:Species|species]] in a pinch.  It's likely that a friend would be able to [[Crate|trade]] what you need, in return for helping them out!

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=Fighting|question=My Piñata are fighting!  What can I do?}}

<!-- It's possible that there is a light 'whack' option which gets a Piñata's attention, without breaking it open. -->

It's not known if you can actively discourage or break up fights, especialy since some species naturally don't get along with other species.  See [[Food chain]] for a list.

There are a couple of passive options that you can use:

*Isolate unfriendly species from each other, by distance and/or fences, or

*Tame a Sour [[Bonboon]], which will help you out by stopping fights.

See [Food chain]] for a list.

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=Attract|question=How can I attract a different Piñata species?}}

*Meet the right requirements to entice a [[Wild Piñata]] to become a resident,

*Tame a [[:Category:Sour]] Piñata,

*Create a new species from an existing resident species,

*Get a friend to [[Crate|send]] you one ;)

Note: ''Certain decisions that you make while playing the game, may make it impossible for certain Wilds to appear, since you don't have the related Piñata in your garden to attract them.''

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=Rare|question=Which Piñatas are rare?}}

The answer to that question should be split into two parts.  There are '''uncommon'' Piñatas that are harder to obtain, and then there are most likely rare Piñatas.

The uncommon Piñatas would be ones that take one or two other creations to obtain (e.g. to get a [[Zumbug]], you need to create a [[Horstachio]], which is created from a [[Ponocky]]).

As for the truly rare Piñatas, while there isn't a specific list at present, it's possible that such species, like the [[Chewnicorn]], might be extremely difficult to attract (e.g. perhaps the [[Gem Tree]] is very expensive).

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=Mythical|question=Are there any mythical Piñatas?}}

One of the [[:Category:Television Series|TV show]] episodes as alluded to a legendary [[Dragonache]]. It's also reasonable to believe that the [[Chewnicorn]] is a mythical Piñata.

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=Create|question=Can I create new Piñata species?}}

Some new Piñata species can be created by feeding an item to an existing resident species.  For example, a [[Ponocky]] can change into a [[Horstachio]], and a Horstachio can change into a [[Zumbug]].  Most species have better versions of a Piñata.  See [[Attracting new species]] for a list.

Gameplay tip:  ''When [[Attracting new species|creating a new species]] from an existing resident, it's helpful not to change your ''only'' resident species into a different species. Wait for a second one to become a resident, then [[Romance Dance|romance]] them first, so you will have some of both species.''

{{FAQanchor|section=Species|keyword=MarketplaceSpecies|question=Will there be any new Piñatas on the Marketplace?}}

One can only hope!  [[Rare® Ltd.|'''Rare''']] has promised lots of Downloadables to be available via the [[Xbox Live Marketplace]], and if new species are offered, they would most likely be the most popular, of all the Viva Piñata Marketplace content.

{{FAQanchor|section=Multiplayer|keyword=CooperativeMode|question=Is there a Co-op mode?}}

Yes. While it's unknown at this time if there is a split-screen or System Link Co-op mode, you will be able to Co-op with a friend via [[Xbox Live]]. See [[#FAQ-Multiplayer-Spectate|''Can I invite a friend to visit my garden?'']] for more information.

{{FAQanchor|section=Multiplayer|keyword=Spectate|question=Can I invite a friend to visit my garden?}}

Note:  ''Giving a stranger permission to help in your garden could allow them to destroy [[:Category:Garden Piece|items in your garden]] or break open your Piñatas.  There will probably be a way to remove their permission, or boot them from the garden, but any changes or damage that they made will remain.''

{{FAQanchor|section=Multiplayer|keyword=OnlineGames|question=What different online modes are there?}}

Viva Piñata will offer several types of online games, via [[Xbox Live]]:

* There will be a Co-operative mode, where a friend can visit your garden as a spectator, or join in and help out in your garden.

* There will be online mini-games, where you and a friend can engage in competitions between your Piñatas.

* There ''might'' be a contest-type mode, where you can judge each other's Piñatas, and win [[Award]]s for the best breed.

* There will be online trading, where you can ship Piñatas and/or Accessories to a friend.

{{FAQanchor|section=Multiplayer|keyword=ShipPackage|question=How do I ship a Piñata to a friend?}}

Visit '''Fanny Franker's Post Office''' in the [[Village]].  You will be able to select Piñatas and/or [[Accessories]] to crate.  It will cost a few chocolate coins to pay for postage.

{{FAQkeytable}} Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the [[Village]] option from the menu, and press the A button.