General Event Strategies

Discussion in 'Game Strategy Discussion' started by SuzeeRabbit, Sep 17, 2014.

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  1. SuzeeRabbit

    SuzeeRabbit Old Hand

    I struggled with a short searchable title. Hope this one works for everyone.

    In this writing I assumed the audience is lower level farmers and farmers that don't invest a lot of money in the game. I do not buy baskets, etc. I buy only Harvester and Seeder during a half price sale to save my hand/wrist/arm pain. If you do invest real money in the game you can, one way or another, speed things along. I'm assuming you know what you bought and how it works.

    This game is like real life in that "Time is Money" and it's all about managing resources. Resources are... time, money, space, etc. The better you are at managing your resources the more "successful" you will be. Of course, that depends on your definition of success.


    CROPS:

    For crops we have two buffs: Pumpkin Jam (PJAM) or Carrot Apple Chutney (CAC).
    PJAM increases yield by one for each plot. In a 2x2 space you can put one 2x2 plot and get one extra crop/seed OR place two 1x2 plots and get 2 extra crop/seed OR place four 1x1 plots and get 4 extra crop/seed in the same amount of space.

    Based on this, the best use of space for crop yield is the 1x1. If one does not have the Farm Machinery it can be quite tedious to plant/harvest/water all those plots. Using 1x2 plots is a good compromise for manual farming.

    CAC has a similar effect, difference being an increase of two instead of one. Twice as much bonus crop.

    DROPS:
    Drops are more complicated. Three important issues, trophy level & placement and plot size. Important to note... ALL drops are RANDOM.

    It's my observation that BP rarely makes changes to the drop rate since December about 3 years ago. We had an event which gave an event drop on nearly EVERY 1x1. Even though I had low level trophies at that point I had no trouble getting all of the drops for that event. LOL! Shortly after that they stabilized the drop rate and only adjust the requirements. Easy events ask for a daily average of roughly less than 125 drops per day. A difficult event asks for a daily average of roughly more than 150 drops per day.

    Trophy Levels:
    Try to get the combined level of trophies about 23% if you want to finish most medium difficulty events. The crop trophy is the easiest and cheapest to finish. Others, wiser than me, have suggested growing crops that sell for profit and buying cheaper crops. Tree fruits will give you the best Country Coin (CC) / Equivalent Value (EV) ratio. Each market is different so you have to do your own math. Plus Market prices fluctuate over time. Apples are usually a poor choice. The best choice is frequently your highest level tree fruit.

    Occasionally event crops can be donated toward the crop trophy. The math on this usually only works out if you accidentally grew more crops than you need to finish an event or if you are a low level farmer, if your highest crop is lower in EP/hour or EV/hour than the event crop.

    The animal trophy is more expensive. Cost me millions of CCs. I put off doing it for months, if not years. Glad it's finally done. It's paying off.

    Trophy placement:
    As the trophy FAQ says... the trophy MUST be on the field to be effective. Reserve two spaces on each field where you place crops. Take the trophies out of inventory and place them. Then you have to register them with the server. You can wait 10 seconds and hope that there is no hiccup with your internet connection or the server. As an former IT pro I feel that is a risky choice. I prefer to click the Browser RELOAD button. That forces the client, your computer, to reconnect with the server.
    Then harvest your field, collect/delete your trophies, move to your next field and repeat.

    Let this be your mantra... ;)
    Place trophies / Browser Reload / harvest / collect/delete trophies / move

    As time goes by you're going to get tired of the tediousness of that routine. Not to mention the bruises from kicking yourself each time you forget. Do like a lot of us and invest your stars in the Living Legend rune. Voila! Save yourself about a couple minutes per round. And a lot of self abuse. ;)

    Effect of crops on drops:
    There is NO specific crop that is going to maximize drops.


    For a drop boost...
    Before an event...

    Plant your longest growing crop TIMED to finish right AFTER the start of the event. For upper level players the longest growing crop is carnations.
    WAIT until you are sure the event has started.
    Harvest.

    During an event...
    Plant WHATEVER fits your schedule. The biggest mistake you can make regarding drops is planting a short crop and not harvesting it until long after it was ready. Try to be there as soon as the crop is ready to harvest and replant.
    If you use amendments/buffs like water and manure, even better.
    If I can only login twice a day but need drops I pick two crops that after watering add up to 24h. Such as a watered 15h crop, equals 12h times two equals 24h.


    Plot size for drops...
    This is the most complicated, and I think illusive, issue. It's a bit like a lottery. The more plots, The more lottery tickets you have to possibly win.

    If your trophy levels are low you will not notice much difference in drops regardless of plot size. As your trophy levels get higher you will want to consider using smaller plot sizes. The reason for this is that you will only get one event drop per plot. If a field has 40 2x2 plots the most drops you can get from that field is 40. I don't usually get that many event drops from one field except with the really long crops. Or a BP programming bug. lol! The best advice I've heard is when you are getting roughly 80% or 32 drops out of 40 possible plots per field use smaller plots.
    I buy the harvester/seeder and use 1x1s all the time.

    The good news is... maximizing event drops also maximizes all your drops like sugar for making CAC.

    Special event product:
    Some events have these extra challenges. I'm not going to address those right now, it's best to check the thread specific to the current event for details.

    I haven't been feeling well and was hoping someone like Arrouquelas, ;) ;) would post this on the new forum. Hope it makes sense.

    Let me know, in this thread, if you have questions.

    EDIT:

    I tried hard to get everything in one post but... It took me three battery charges on the laptop and I still forgot some things. LOL!

    First I have to thank all the upper level farmers that contributed to the forum when I was getting started. And others since. Unfortunately I cannot remember the people that contributed to the information in this thread from three years ago, except Chalaryl, in part because most of them are no longer playing. Miss them.

    Magic Trees:
    During an event these give one event drop per recharge, 24h. As well as excellent EP/BEP per square.

    Howie Donuts:
    Last I heard these increase event drops. That has not been my experience. My main farm has two of these and after accounting for the difference of Magic Tree count and gifts, it does not get more drops than the other two farms. Currently all three farms are the same level, 92, have very similar, but not identical configurations and maxed out Living Legend runes. If it increases other drops then it's still a good thing.


    Starting an Event:
    How you handle an event depends a lot on your resources. Here is how I usually do it.

    I like to start my buffs first. It can waste some of the buff time but better that than forgetting. CAC, ZAB, White Innocence, usually. That way I don't forget. I only use SuperGrow (SG) for the first two or three harvests of 2x2s. I like to consume one CAC for each day of the event. Followed by a Pinkie Pie Pie (PPP).
    As already mentioned...
    Plant your longest growing crop before an event scheduled to be harvested after the event starts.
    After the event starts harvest and set out one 2x2 for each starter seed, usually 10. Add ALL amendments, water, manure, SuperGrow, and Suzy's magic dust.
    I check the maturity time of the amended starter seeds and plant something with a similar time in the remaining 1x1s.
    When the first round of starter seeds is ready I delete the remaining 1x1s on that field and fill in with 2x2s. I save my SuperGrow for this moment. Since I don't buy the builder I only do this with one field. I add everything except Suzy's magic dust to this round and the next round or two if I'm still using 2x2s. Once I have enough starter seeds for all the 1x1s I'm planning on using for an event, I stop using 2x2s and switch to 1x1s.


    ADDITIONAL READING:
    Strategy: Ocean Day
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2015
  2. hatzeva

    hatzeva Forum Duke

    Excellent. This is a very clear and easily understood guide to maximizing crops and drops for an event.
    Thanks Suzee!
     
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  3. julie1013

    julie1013 Commander of the Forum

    Suzee, As always a big thanks for your time and effort in posting these. I always learn something new or different to try. This is a tremendous help to more players than you might realize. My wish for Christmas is that I achieve the LL!! Dragging those trophies around gets tiring. lol I am sorry you aren't feeling well:( and am sending you best wishes and a hug. My sister suffers from the same problems as you from her treatments and my heart truly goes out to you. :)
     
  4. msmeow

    msmeow Junior Expert

    Suzee, Thank you for the clear tips you have shared on general strategies...(especially when unwell) ... I now have ideas (based on facts) for my particular strategy, to see how far I can go on Septemberfest event.

    Your time and effort to give tips to new players like myself is appreciated.
    Feel better soon and hop your drops are phenomenal:)
     
    IVANCICA30 likes this.
  5. SuzeeRabbit

    SuzeeRabbit Old Hand

    Thanks guys. I tried to put everything in the OP but managed to forget some stuff. I finally got it typed up and the edit is at the end of the OP.

    Hopefully others will post their start up strategies. Mine is a simple one that works for me but I know there are better ones especially if one has real money to spend.

    julie, yes, the trophies get heavy. Even more so once they took our little red truck from us. lol Consider doing the reset, if you have time, just for extra stars.
    Thank you. So sorry to hear about your sister. My best wishes for her health. And yours.
     
  6. Blaze22

    Blaze22 Forum Greenhorn

    This is a great guide Suzee. Thanks for sharing it.
     
    IVANCICA30 likes this.
  7. escalonilla

    escalonilla Forum Commissioner

    Suzee howie donuts affect only regular drops (salt, sugar, tools...)
    They don't work on event drops.
    I asked this in the old forum zillions ago
     
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  8. SuzeeRabbit

    SuzeeRabbit Old Hand

    At one time they said Howie's didn't affect event drops. Then they did. Then they didn't. Then they did... *sigh*
    I've long said they didn't. Thanks for your feedback, escalonilla.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2014
  9. Arielh

    Arielh Living Forum Legend

    strategy: if you use CAC and fields 1x1 and you don't want to use the harvester helpers you can zoom out your farm so the clicking will be easier and faster;)
     
    jumbo782, 12ss12, Doc425 and 2 others like this.
  10. CJAT

    CJAT Forum Expert

    What a great thread Suzee!! I have already referred some chicks here! Thanks for putting it together! :)

    Just for you dear... a little red truck to help you move your trophies all over your farm... ;)

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. Brookeham

    Brookeham Forum Freak

    Great reference thread Suzee!!!:D Thank you! I have a question....right before my harvest (of my longest grow time crop) when event has started and to boost drops.....I throw a 100 or so of cats & dogs( EP value of 450) into the pot of the farming contest quest...my LL rune is stuck at 29%...(can't seem to finish the animal portion). I'm thinking or hoping this increases my drops. :p
    Any thoughts???:) Anyone?

    CJAT - I so miss our little red truck zooming from field to field! Thanks for posting the nostalgic pic!;)
     
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  12. CJAT

    CJAT Forum Expert

    @Brooke ~ you are so welcome! I actually noticed the little red truck still hanging out on my farm picture lol. It reminds me of an old player, Sally Muffins, and I have not had the heart to update it. But I had it out today and was having a bit of nublon fun by melding it into one for Banjo on the Septemberfest 2014 Strategies thead... So when I saw Suzee looking all sad, I remembered my little red truck, and just had to share it! :D

    My thoughts on the 29% animal trophy... since each trophy upgrade is an upgrade you place over the previous upgrades, I don't think you will have an increase in drops until you gain and place that last upgrade. If you want those drops, you need to find something to sell and buy up animals based on what gives you the best (cheapest) donation value. That or grow them yourself based on what gives you the best donation value per hour of growing time... I upgraded mine right before the island switched to CCs... bought so many sloths as they were the best value at that time... I'm not sure what would be now. (Maybe ask farmer_broke?)
     
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  13. sglick

    sglick Board Analyst

    Brooke, I agree with CJAT. You will not get the benefit of that last percent until you have complete donating all of the needed animals so it really does not matter when you donate your animals. Plus, that last percent does not give you much of a boost in drops. I think AnnT's advice is the best. You may already be following here advise which is to buy cheap animals with high exchange values.

    FYI - It takes about 12,000 monkeys to complete that last percent. Remember my contest - What would you do with 10,000 Monkeys? Such sweet memories! I was able to buy my monkeys for 300 - 400 CCs and if I paid 500, then I thought I was being robbed. LOL

    Here is my old screen shot that I took to prove that I got all 10,000 monkeys. This screen shot was taken on November 1, 2012.


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2014
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  14. Brookeham

    Brookeham Forum Freak

    Thanks CJAT! ;)I thought so...unfortunately. I need to buckle down and finish that last 1% of animal trophy!!!:p It is just so painful to let go of soooooooo many animals!:wuerg:

    sglick - Yes, I remember the monkey challenge!! So much fun! I wish monkies were still that cheap!o_O

    I also was thinking of "what to do" following an event. I like to re-stock up on short time crops (i.e. carrots, lettuce, wheat) while I have a CAC still running and all fields in 1x1's. A few rounds and voila...all restocked! Then I check the barn to see what animals and trees I have fallen short of during event(filling FHO's)...and make a list. I cross off my list, as I place items. Of course all of this is made so so so much easier with the builder! I then place all my 2x2's, then remove them to add the needed animals & production pens. Then I follow up with trees. There isn't a way to have all your pens, trees, production pens out...so this works to keep my barn evenly full!

    I always put the highest EP trees in the glade to get more EP and high EP animal pens.
    On the "main field" I put trees and animals I don't mind removing for MM.
    It's feels so good to have my farm all put back together after event is over! :inlove:
     
  15. Aluntino

    Aluntino Board Analyst

    Brooke,

    My 5 cents: forget about that last 1%. It will bleed you dry for an almost unnoticeable outcome.

    I think I made the same suggestion to Sglick when she was after that 1% and went on with her 10K monkeys self-challenge.

    The reason is simple (and powerful, in my opinion): every 1% gives exactly the same chance of increasing drops; but, the effort to get to the next % level gets harder and harder (and, especially, costlier and costlier -in resources, in misused space and in YOUR time-). It increasingly becomes into a stronger and stronger black hole -with all the crunching implied in the physics of a black hole-.

    If you don't badly need that 1% -and nobody who is at 14% in the animal trophy + 15% in the crops trophy needs that 1%-, then I suggest you to forget about it altogether and devote those resources to nFHOs or market sale of profitable produce, or crops in that same space.

    Just in case you're wondering, my animal trophy is at 12% and I don't even think for a moment of dumping any animal of any kind there. I simply don't need the negligible increase in drops it would provide -my barn is exploding with tools, I have way more than enough crafting basics (except for sugar: but, if I want to, I can use the space needed to produce the animals to be dumped in that black hole with sugar trees, instead), I always get 20/90% more drops than requested for every single event-.

    Not putting efforts on lost causes like this one will also have a non-apparent positive side effect: to save you the need of using too much SG or other BBs-based resources.

    But, of course, if this is the goal you set for yourself just because..., like Sglick's then with her 10K monkeys, it's more than obviously OK. It's only that I don't like to see people I care about struggling with things that don't pay off (and there are so many of this sort in this game....).
     
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  16. sglick

    sglick Board Analyst

    Aluntino - I did, do and always will agree with you that the last few percentages of the animal trophy are a colossal waste of resources. The only reason to finish them is just for the simple pleasure of finishing another task.
     
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  17. Aluntino

    Aluntino Board Analyst

    I know, Sglick. That was exactly what I was referring to in my last paragraph above, with the "just because....": everyone can fill the dots with whatever they like.

    But I also think that those forum dwellers that are seen as "more experienced" by many of those who read it -far more, I'm sure of this, than those who ever post anything-, like you, or me, or many others, have a duty towards lower level/less experienced players: the one of clearly differentiating what's actually needed/desirable -for strategic purposes- from what's just a matter of our own whim -of course, simultaneously considering as a given that everyone is entitled to her/his own whim and free to pursue what it tells her/him to do-.

    Otherwise, they may misunderstand us and think that something that's only wanted/pursued out of sheer whim is actually something worth wanting/pursuing. In other words, we may do as we like, but it's good for the rest of the players that pay attention to what we, "experienced" players, say to clearly tell what's substance and what's fat they can certainly spare. It'll save loads of time lost, BBs and RL money for them. And also for many of us.

    This is exactly why I'm so relentless in clarifying this kind of things.
     
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  18. poor_didums

    poor_didums Forum Apprentice

    Brookham i am also stocking up on my crops starting with carrots and moving along the line while CAC is still running and wow it sure is filling quickly lol
     
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  19. julie1013

    julie1013 Commander of the Forum

    SuzeeRabbit, I actually finished the first quest 9-21 in the morning without doing a reset and finished the 2nd quest around 1 a.m. on 9-22 with 2 extra XL Teabrews.:D I'm not bothering to plant the other 48 as I can make more ep/cc's from the teabags from the exchange. I find it to be a royal pain to plant the barrels (4 clicks for EACH one):sleepy::sleepy: Congrats to all who finished!
     
    IVANCICA30 likes this.
  20. -Mir85-

    -Mir85- Living Forum Legend

    Julie: It's too late for this event, but you can get away with fewer clicks :D

    After you plant the first barrel, press Ctrl (on your keyboard) and then you can immediately plant the next one, and so on.

    The same strategy works to place stalls, trees etc. I was so happy when I discovered this. Before I started subscribing to the harvest helpers it was always such a pain to reorganize the farm, especially putting out stables and trees. This strategy makes it easier :D
     
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