The Big Farm Theory

[judyreno]

407Mom

I see you completed your expansion. I tried to get rid of the trees in your first area, but the game couldn't handle all my chops. It will be interesting to see what happens when you let my farmer do some work for you.

You should be able to earn all the energy you need by visiting random friends and doing free work. If you don't get rid of trees, they grow every day, making it harder to remove them later.

[judyreno]

Level 42

I have only 1 goal at a time to complete which seems strange. Money is piling up, as is my wood supply. I still spend gold on Synthetic Fertilizer and some materials to complete goals.

I needed to chop Ash 60 times, so I put 200 energy in my supply from 500 feed, bought a medium nano-forest and started chopping. I had to buy a 2nd forest to get the level 7 reward which was only 1 bronze instead of the hoped for neon. I surprised that I collected so little sawdust which was needed to create the crop the goal called for.

With many neighbors, I get a lot of work done for me. If I have animals I need to feed for a goal, I do that before I let the neighbors do their work. Most are respecting my "Do Not Feed" sign.

[judyreno]

Level 43

As soon as I had enough XP to move to this level, I got more challenges. This is a good thing for me, as I was beginning to get bored without them.

Visiting

I appreciate it when there are animals to feed or crops to harvest, as they yield more feed points than chopping rocks or trees. Some of my friends have everything done almost all the time, and I just have to move on. I try to leave Strawberries and Chickens at my farm for visitors. I enjoy seeing all the work my friends do when I've been gone from the game for a long time.

The Dog

I will be asking for more meat tonight when he is hungry again. The response the last time gave me enough for 3 days. I no longer resent him, but I do keep the sound off most of the time. When I am cutting down a forest, I turn the iPad sound on so I can hear which monster shows up. Sometimes they are not immediately visible.

Monsters

I have come to appreciate when they show up, as defeating them increases my feed supply. I am easily able to keep enough weapons by making them in the Workshop.

[leilani]

Judy, I love visiting your farm and appreciate there is always something to do. I have a couple of friends that almost always have everything done when I get to them too. I always try to have an assortment of things to do, but I just bought the Tesla generator last night so I'm a little short on funds. I have to go through my warehouse and sell off some crops that I don't need for anything right now.

[judyreno]

The best crops to sell are the hybrids, except for Volcano Strawberry and Artillery Cucumber which are needed to make other things. The hybrids earn more money.

Tree Behind the Mill

The Mill is the only building you can't move. Somehow, a tree always gets started there, and I don't seem to notice until it takes 15 chops to knock it down!

I'm alternating game play with needlepoint. Not as straight-forward as I thought. For instance, one is supposed to strip each ply of the thread and then recombine them before threading the needle. I think it took me 1/2 hour to strip a 6-ply cotton thread this morning!

[leilani]

Lol Judy, I'm a little lazy with my needlepoint. I don't strip all 6 plies of thread. If I only need 2, I just take those 2 and go. I used to separate them all, but they just tangle as I go so I gave up.

As for the mill and the tree (or rock), I put pieces of path around all my buildings so that nothing grows where I can't see. I hate having to move a building to clear something and as you mentioned the mill isn't movable which makes it a pain in the backside to get to anything that grows.

[judyreno]

Hi Leilani,

My current project requires all 6 threads. I could use the threads as they come, but the instructions say the thread will be fluffier if separated.

I started the Basketweave stitch in the upper left hand corner and got a lot done yesterday. Then, I discovered the slant of the stitches is going the wrong way! I am not going to take out what I have done. I'll do the whole thing backwards!

[judyreno]

Amber Paint

This product is too expensive to buy and difficult to make. I have a goal that requires 10 units. The best way to get Amber is by chopping trees. I've been through 4 medium nano woods and have enough amber.

Toxin gets produced in 3 of my buildings. I am waiting for them to refresh to make the last batch.

I often buy Eggs at 9 gold for 10 eggs. I also keep 10 chickens that produce about 4 eggs per feeding round. I let neighbors feed them unless I am actively seeking eggs.

Spending Gold

My new discipline for myself is to make $10 worth of gold last 3 days. That means about 120 gold available per day. I spend 35 on Synthetic Fertilizer and 15 on help for friends. I spend some on Studies. The rest goes for materials. I don't spend gold on energy anymore, as I can earn all I need at my own or random neighbors

[leilani]

Ugh, I really wish we could move the mill. I noticed today as the game was loading (before the buildings popped in) that I have a rock next to my mill and I can't clear it. I know it probably shouldn't bother me since I can't see it when the building is there, but I deliberately tried to place tiles in that area so nothing would pop up. I either missed a spot or the rock was already there. Every time I try to click where the rock is all I hit is the mill. Oh well, if only all of life's problems were this minor.

[judyreno]

Dec 30, 2012 19:03:10 GMT -5 leilani said:

Ugh, I really wish we could move the mill. I noticed today as the game was loading (before the buildings popped in) that I have a rock next to my mill and I can't clear it. I know it probably shouldn't bother me since I can't see it when the building is there, but I deliberately tried to place tiles in that area so nothing would pop up. I either missed a spot or the rock was already there. Every time I try to click where the rock is all I hit is the mill. Oh well, if only all of life's problems were this minor.

Well, the good news is the rock will grow in a day or so. You ought to be able to get it then.

I've tried to put tiles next to the mill, but I think there is still a gap. Of course, we can't see what's going on. Irritating.

[judyreno]

Level 44

The prior level ended with just one quest at a time, and fairly easy at that. The new level has me working on 2 quests which are both challenging in the materials needed.

Banaza
Star Goat

Cream Tomato
Disco-Turkey

The top 2 are very hard. The bottom 2 not so bad.

I have a great accumulation of money (>300,000) and wood (>10,000). With nothing left to build, I don't know that the wood will ever be used. There was a quest awhile back requiring 3,000 wood which was immediately fulfilled. I use the money to buy rocks to chop. I used to always spend 3 gold for rocks, as I thought the money price excessive. But now that I have money to burn, I might as well use it.

Yesterday, at the end of level 43, I was sitting pretty with over 10K feed thanks to neighbors and gifts. I'm lower on feed today, having demolished 2 medium forests to get amber. Using the speed up elixir is very handy when moving through forests in a hurry.

Some of my neighbors are dropping out as evidenced by rocks, trees, and spoiled crops. It is still good to visit them, as it takes only 1 click to go to the next neighbor as oppsed to 3 to get to the next random neighbor. I should say "touch" rather than "click".

[judyreno]

Animals

To get materials needed in the lab, it helps to keep at least 5 of each animal going. Once mature, they can be sold and immediately replaced. This builds up the cash supply. Thank goodness no energy is needed to buy or sell, but is needed to feed. Now that energy can be easily earned by working at neighbors' farms, having lots of animals seems a good strategy to me. Why the chickens produce so few eggs, maybe 2 out of 5, is a mystery, but it is a game, afterall.

[leilani]

Judy, I agree about the chickens. I'm having trouble moving forward because I can't get enough eggs to do the tasks that I need to. I don't want to have to start buying them because I'll end up having to buy more gold and the only way that's happening is if they have another sale. I've also noticed that friends seem to be dropping, but I'm hoping it's due to people being busy for the holidays.

Do you remember what level you were at when you got the option to buy the 3rd expansion? I was hoping I'd get it at level 30, but I haven't yet. I'm wondering if I need to complete some of these other tasks first.

[judyreno]

Hi Leilani, It might be around level 32 to get Expansion 3. I just reread what I wrote on page 3, and further on, I said I got to level 33. You will need $75,000 to buy the expansion, so you might focus on that until it becomes available. I do recall feeling very pressured for space until I got it.

I am not sure it's about levels per se, but I do think tasks have to be completed. You may need to get your decor value up. I'm not a big fan of tiles, but they do add to decor count.

[leilani]

Thanks Judy. I've been placing tiles everywhere I haven't needed the space for something else. I've got several tasks that require chopping trees and it's a bit of a waste to keep buying the woods to chop down. I finally decided to just keep a bunch of chickens so that I can collect the eggs when I feed them. Buying, feeding, and selling is helping the cash flow and I have a large supply of crops in my warehouse that I'm waiting to sell off to buy the expansion when it becomes available. Now all I need is the expansion, but I have a feeling that I'll have all my tree chopping tasks completed by the time I get it.

[407mom]

So I am plugging away and things are going OK. Money is a problem but I am planting and selling, crops and animals, it just takes time lots and lots of time. What's with the planting? When I plant crops the crops do not seem to want to go certain places, and its rather random where they don't want to take. Am I missing something.
Love both your places I can only hope to get there someday!

[leilani]

Thanks Mom, your farm is coming along nicely. I've noticed the same issue with planting crops. I'd say it's the game's way of being realistic and not allowing us to plant the same crops in the same place so as not to wear out the soil, but that's probably over thinking things. Not to mention, that the same problem happens at times when trying to place tiles and objects. There have been times when I haven't been able to place a tile or object so I've put it somewhere else and then gone into edit mode and moved it where I wanted it in the first place.

Money can be an issue, but raising and selling the animals really helps. Even though they don't sell for a lot, I'm finding chickens are good to have on hand because you can collect much needed eggs while raising them.

[407mom]

thanks for replying so quickly Leilani I really appreciate both you and Judy's answers and just plain general info regarding the game. I couldn't believe they threw a totally new monster, some sort of alien, at me and I wasn't even at a level to make the weapon yet, had to buy the nano thing, really annoying. Would another lab be a good investment for making more of what I need? About gifting, if I need something that is giftable would gifting it to a neighbor be the best bet. If I understand the process my thanks to a person gifting me is the same gift that they sent, correct? Thanks for all the help!

[leilani]

I bought the second lab to do things a little faster, but I haven't felt the need to buy the third one yet. The trick that I figured out with the monsters is that you can defeat any monster with the sling shot if you have enough energy. It takes multiple shots, but it can be done if you don't mind using up the extra energy. Judy is probably a better source for the question about gifting, but I'm pretty sure you're correct and a thank you gives the person the same gift. If you need something that you can ask for, you can ask the same person for it more than once too. Also, did you notice that you can invite random neighbors to be your friend and they can invite you? I've got a group of about 30 or so people on my friends list, 10-15 of them seem to play and gift daily so it makes it quick to collect things that I have to ask for.

[judyreno]

I use all 3 labs and try to keep them busy. I don't use the Decor workshop often, but I do use the Workshop to make weapons for the monsters. I don't think I have ever bought any, or if I did, it was early on. Leilani is correct; you can use the slingshot at the cost of multiple energy. With neighbors from the Random invites, I am getting lots of paint and things, so usually have what I need to make weapons. I've even made energy a few times.

The gifting area is still a mystery to me. When I try to give, I get a message that the person cannot receive more gifts today. I rarely see the thank button.

I'm back to having only 1 quest at a time, so I'm not spending as much gold as usual. We'll see if I can make this last!