New Release -- September 20th, 2011

[krypto]

Originally Posted by levarti2

sometimes it's a good thing to step away for awhile ... I go to extremes (but not as bad as some) and have a spreadsheet that shows me an EXACT number of ingredients or items needed per day for each facility so it takes the guesswork out of wondering how much I need. But when things get to be too much like "work", I back off and just harvest barns or don't play at all for awhile. No point doing it when it's not fun any more.

You've got company - I actually get more satisfaction from working on my spreadsheet than I get from farming. In the game all of the facilities are becoming tedious - even with the tools to work them faster. However - those same tedious FT facilities are quite a challenge for me to work into my spreadsheet and streamline it. Too bad FT won't let us share macro enabled spreadsheets. I do wish they (the devs) would make the stats available to everyone in one of the forums. Knowing what quantities it takes to fill each facility and how many of each item are needed from belt to belt are a few things that I would like to know.

[levarti2]

Originally Posted by krypto

You've got company - I actually get more satisfaction from working on my spreadsheet than I get from farming. In the game all of the facilities are becoming tedious - even with the tools to work them faster. However - those same tedious FT facilities are quite a challenge for me to work into my spreadsheet and streamline it. Too bad FT won't let us share macro enabled spreadsheets. I do wish they (the devs) would make the stats available to everyone in one of the forums. Knowing what quantities it takes to fill each facility and how many of each item are needed from belt to belt are a few things that I would like to know.

not surprised I'm not the only one charting things as I've seen some pretty extensive sheets from other people. Mine is very basic ... and I DO know what quantity it take to fill each facility daily and for the 15 days ... took the time to chart it (for my facilities) and that's the info I use to put on another sheet of the worksheet for knowing what to grow. I keep accurate inventory when I'm not loading facilities, use it as a guideline when I am ... still tells me what I need to plant next. No macros, just simple math calculations.

the part about knowing what's needed belt to belt is another matter and I'm with you on that too ... would be nice to know those things ahead of time.

as for the tedious part of the facilities, tools etc ... on my last revamp, I sold all my service facilities (don't like them, won't buy more, don't need the extra coins they produce) ... and put facilities in storage that don't have to do with food (with few exceptions). For me, it's made things more simple and if we get Farm #12, I'll put those non-food facilities back out, maybe. In the meantime, my farm duties are simplified so I can truly enjoy the time when I'm playing farmer. I love it ... doesn't feel like a "job" ... I have control, it's not controlling my life, so I really enjoy it. Right now I'm just in a "growing" mode ... h/p crops and build my reserves. Gotta love the game for allowing us to do our own thing.

[levarti2]

Originally Posted by levarti2

not surprised I'm not the only one charting things as I've seen some pretty extensive sheets from other people. Mine is very basic ... and I DO know what quantity it take to fill each facility daily and for the 15 days ... took the time to chart it (for my facilities) and that's the info I use to put on another sheet of the worksheet for knowing what to grow. I keep accurate inventory when I'm not loading facilities, use it as a guideline when I am ... still tells me what I need to plant next. No macros, just simple math calculations.

the part about knowing what's needed belt to belt is another matter and I'm with you on that too ... would be nice to know those things ahead of time.

as for the tedious part of the facilities, tools etc ... on my last revamp, I sold all my service facilities (don't like them, won't buy more, don't need the extra coins they produce) ... and put facilities in storage that don't have to do with food (with few exceptions). For me, it's made things more simple and if we get Farm #12, I'll put those non-food facilities back out, maybe. In the meantime, my farm duties are simplified so I can truly enjoy the time when I'm playing farmer. I love it ... doesn't feel like a "job" ... I have control, it's not controlling my life, so I really enjoy it. Right now I'm just in a "growing" mode ... h/p crops and build my reserves. Gotta love the game for allowing us to do our own thing.

ps ... I've come to LOVE the Red Sprinkler too. It's great trying to plan my next few crops around "over night" time and daytime when I might need to cut the harvest time in half. Like a puzzle working it all in around the 20 hrs, cut to 10 and then using the 8 & 12 hr crops to fill in, etc. Great fun!!!

[jcassemjr]

Originally Posted by levarti2

not surprised I'm not the only one charting things as I've seen some pretty extensive sheets from other people. Mine is very basic ... and I DO know what quantity it take to fill each facility daily and for the 15 days ... took the time to chart it (for my facilities) and that's the info I use to put on another sheet of the worksheet for knowing what to grow. I keep accurate inventory when I'm not loading facilities, use it as a guideline when I am ... still tells me what I need to plant next. No macros, just simple math calculations.

I think that goes for many of us. I use a spreadsheet as well, and find that I couldn't manage my farms with out it!

Originally Posted by levarti2

the part about knowing what's needed belt to belt is another matter and I'm with you on that too ... would be nice to know those things ahead of time.

I only worry about the belts, when I don't need any goods planted for the production chain. I focus on my Diversity Rating, since I am anticipating that something is going to come from it in the next few upgrades... Really looking forward to how they are going to use it, and what benefit it is to us. Hopefully, it's not just more coins or higher yields.. I have to much in storage already...

Originally Posted by levarti2

as for the tedious part of the facilities, tools etc ... on my last revamp, I sold all my service facilities (don't like them, won't buy more, don't need the extra coins they produce) ... and put facilities in storage that don't have to do with food (with few exceptions). For me, it's made things more simple and if we get Farm #12, I'll put those non-food facilities back out, maybe. In the meantime, my farm duties are simplified so I can truly enjoy the time when I'm playing farmer. I love it ... doesn't feel like a "job" ... I have control, it's not controlling my life, so I really enjoy it.

I actually like the service facilities, it adds a nice little complexity to the mix. On the last two, it was the challenge of how quickly I could get them to 100% utilization. And, the extra coins is just helping to build up the reserves for quickly purchasing Farm 12....

Originally Posted by levarti2

Right now I'm just in a "growing" mode ... h/p crops and build my reserves. Gotta love the game for allowing us to do our own thing.

Absolutely, it's the best thing about this game. We all get to choose how we want to play!

[Docperk]

Originally Posted by jcassemjr

I think that goes for many of us. I use a spreadsheet as well, and find that I couldn't manage my farms with out it!


I actually like the service facilities, it adds a nice little complexity to the mix. On the last two, it was the challenge of how quickly I could get them to 100% utilization. And, the extra coins is just helping to build up the reserves for quickly purchasing Farm 12....

Yes I do like the service facilities too. I have gotten into the habit of not even taken my crops to market in between updates. That way if the start using something that is not currently in use I will have plenty in stock. The service facilities do help pay for the next farm. Since the last update my service facilites have netted me about 1.6 Billion coins. On the last release after it was out I went and sold my non ingredients for another Billion so that almost paid for the upgrade all the way.... The farm upgrade is probably another update or 2 away but I will be ready even if it does cost 4 or 5 billion coins, thanks to service facilites...

[levarti2]

Originally Posted by jcassemjr

I think that goes for many of us. I use a spreadsheet as well, and find that I couldn't manage my farms with out it!

(copy clipped for space saving only)

I actually like the service facilities, it adds a nice little complexity to the mix. On the last two, it was the challenge of how quickly I could get them to 100% utilization. And, the extra coins is just helping to build up the reserves for quickly purchasing Farm 12....

Absolutely, it's the best thing about this game. We all get to choose how we want to play!

I should clarify my comment about not "liking" the service facilities. I don't have anything against them, or other facilities ... I just chose to eliminate or cut down the amount of facilities in general because having so many was making me feel like my time wasn't my own ... I had too many crops to plant in order to keep all those facilities going and I felt like the game was running my life because of it. In my life, I prefer simplicity. I chose to simplify my farms, and thus my time spent on FT is less, but it's so much more enjoyable. Since my last revamp I decided to be very selective about buying facilities. I used to buy several at every update and then try to figure how they worked in with the rest. Now I decide if it fits into my overall plan first. Whoo hoo, it's only taken over a year to get a plan - LOL.

Besides ... what's the end-result of the game? I hope it's different for each of us. What's the point where you "win"? To me I hope it doesn't get to that point. Am sure the developers have a totally different idea of what "winning" will mean with the game. I enjoy crop selections, keeping my spreadsheet, taking inventory occasionally and harvesting trees, animals, fish when I feel like doing that. I only fill facilities when I have all the ingredients to last several cycles even with friends and neighbors working them, which sometimes turns 15 day supply into one or two days. And, of course, I look forward to the new "things" on updates. Sometimes when I need a break, I go to my home office, open a farm ... enlarge it and enjoy the details of buildings and items the developers have worked so hard to provide us. Escape at its best. Thanks again.

[JAS0643]

Originally Posted by cindymartindale1955

Definitely agree with the shrimp and tuna increase request. I have four or five food preserve factories just trying to get enough tuna! Can more tuna be added to the river/lake/seashore catches, too? That would be great!

Thanks developers for everything you do for us! We really do appreciate you.

They have increased the canned tuna and shrimp output go back and read the first post again at the bottom it list all the things they increased a few days after the update and a few days after the post of mine you are quoting.

[casper57]

Originally Posted by levarti2

not surprised I'm not the only one charting things as I've seen some pretty extensive sheets from other people. Mine is very basic ... and I DO know what quantity it take to fill each facility daily and for the 15 days ...

If all of the facilities were 15 days it wouldn't be an issue - but some are 7 (so far the ones requiring coins to buy the ingredients).

I use macros to show a pic of the crop for each farm and for the red sprinkler - a red sprinkler shows when irrigation is available - and rain when it is in use on a given farm. Using the pics allows me to see what is happening where quickly on one sheet. I also track the highest usage crops along with my storage quantities to decide what to plant next.

[levarti2]

Originally Posted by casper57

If all of the facilities were 15 days it wouldn't be an issue - but some are 7 (so far the ones requiring coins to buy the ingredients).

I use macros to show a pic of the crop for each farm and for the red sprinkler - a red sprinkler shows when irrigation is available - and rain when it is in use on a given farm. Using the pics allows me to see what is happening where quickly on one sheet. I also track the highest usage crops along with my storage quantities to decide what to plant next.

cool idea about the use of macros

my spreadsheet for the facilities doesn't include the 7 day ones anyway because no crops are needed for them (like you said, they're the coins ones). My sheet is strictly to tell me what crops and quantities are needed to keep facilities at capacity.