Jan Update - The New Year Update [Discussion]

gavinfarms (US1) · 03.02.2021

It is Wednesday.......It is time to quit making excuses for GGS. A statement should have happened days ago. We are past any point, where excuses can be valid.

Ghost rider (GB1) · 03.02.2021

And your playing their game ! If you don't like it quit, the constant threats of cancelling and quitting are quite tiresome

AngelAcuteAngle (US1) · 03.02.2021

bigez (US1) said:

xps are worthless in this game yes you get to a higher level and you go against higher level players but you are ranked by mission not by your level

xps allows you to level up and thus be able to buy the next land parcel.

Exxy (INT1) · 03.02.2021

Yeah, Threatening to quit because you dont like a change is absolutely silly

But its a quite basic reaction due to anger , because you are not getting what you want

In the end, GG can do whatever they want with their game , and players can play , suscribe or not , if they dont want to

Players also have the right to express how they feel as well

george3 (AU1) · 03.02.2021

Ghost rider (GB1) said:

And your playing their game ! If you don't like it quit, the constant threats of cancelling and quitting are quite tiresome
I'll not stop playing & will keep my turbo harvester/ reseeder ($5Aus a month), but will no pay for gold, as your happy with the changes, I'm happy for you to pay for my game play, it's a win win for both of us

Ghost rider (GB1) · 03.02.2021

george3 (AU1) said:

Ghost rider (GB1) said:

And your playing their game ! If you don't like it quit, the constant threats of cancelling and quitting are quite tiresome
I'll not stop playing & will keep my turbo harvester/ reseeder ($5Aus a month), but will no pay for gold, as your happy with the changes, I'm happy for you to pay for my game play, it's a win win for both of us

Where have i said i am happy with the changes ?

my comment was solely to all those that think they can stamp their feet and demand ! which is ridiculous

george3 (AU1) · 03.02.2021

Ghost rider (GB1) said:

george3 (AU1) said:

Ghost rider (GB1) said:

And your playing their game ! If you don't like it quit, the constant threats of cancelling and quitting are quite tiresome
I'll not stop playing & will keep my turbo harvester/ reseeder ($5Aus a month), but will no pay for gold, as your happy with the changes, I'm happy for you to pay for my game play, it's a win win for both of us

Where have i said i am happy with the changes ?

my comment was solely to all those that think they can stamp their feet and demand ! which is ridiculous

Sorry Ghost rider, it's just the way I read it, I agree not point spitting up the dummy & threading to quit

maxiroy (US1) · 04.02.2021

farmer johno (INT1) said:

Kitty Reed (US1) said:

Message to Exxy
You are funny! You ever get the feeling you are being out voted on this subject of cats labs and jams ?
Get your head of the sand and start listening to people that are paying for this game and the ones that just want to relax after a hard day.. will you ? Your comments are a joke .

Well said

It doesn't really matter at this point. You might not agree with Exxy, but the reality is the farm lab as we know it, is gone and they have accepted it. They have also added some tips here in regards to the jam farm. So have others.

fj12 (US1) · 04.02.2021

What do we do with seaweed now? It is no longer used to make seaweed feed/humus/fertilizer.

amazingrose7 (GB1) · 04.02.2021

Come on ,this is ridiculous, we need loads more catalysers, for me the rare catalysers to make premium fertiliser.

BigTJ (US1) · 04.02.2021

It would be great if GGS would add another icon on the lab to go back to our original use of lab for premium items & use the catalysts icons for the special seeds only.

Katie.M (INT1) · 04.02.2021

Where to start. I know!...How about all the players demanding this or that and the ones who are threatening to quit or whatever because you aren't happy with how GGS/StillFront have changed somethings to make it a little more profitable for the company. Sure it's a free game to play and should only be looked at it like it is, it's free no if's and's or but's about. No one made anyone spend money on the game or to stick around for years on end slowly building our farms up, but that also doesn't give us the right to make demands like some have. When many of us high level players started out many years ago there were not as many ways to level up quickly like there are now, unless we bought gold and skipped our way up in levels, so we just grinded it out day after day after day. Many players even way back then complained or demanded this or that. Way back then free to play players used regular feed and fertilizer and accepted it for what it was, we we're just happy to be playing something that we enjoyed playing. For my self I can honestly say there we're times that I also was not happy with how long it took to level up so I could be a stronger farmer to help out during events and projects. The thing I think many newer lower and a lot of higher level players need to think about before they start complaining about things being taken away such as how they've basically made the lab's obsolete for now, is to change their strategy and not be so reliant on something that I personally think was taken advantage of since they introduced the labs and all the premium things became the normal thing to use. So many of use built factory farms and used premium feed and fertilizer to offset the huge amount of dollars it took to start things without having a single decoration on our farms to increase happiness. Switching back to regular feed and fertilizer has certainly changed the amount of dollars we earn but I personally am not losing any, I'm just not making as much even with my main farm not having one single decoration. Things are always changing with the game because it has to or the game would become so boring. Many players do not like change even in their day to day lives outside of the game so when something so drastic such as what, GGS/StillFront, did to the lab, their routine was disturbed. I Don't care what age anyone is that plays this game because it doesn't matter, the same goes for what level anyone are currently at, because it doesn't matter and never should if you are playing regularly, you will continue to level up no matter what you do. Many of us higher level players that have been around for many years know how the company works, they do things that just don't make sense at times when it changes things so drastically and disrupts our routine, but it's their right to do what they want even if it doesn't make sense to us, it makes sense to them on a business side of looking at something which is why they do what they do. The game is dynamic and I'm glad that it is because it keeps me thinking of ways to adapt to their changes, do I like it?? Not all the time, but they have introduced some awesome ideas over the years to help us earn more dollars quickly. Prime example would be the fishing region, if it weren't for that one idea many years ago, so many of us would not be where we are today. That is where all players big and small have to concentrate on building up if they want some serious dollars quickly. Lower level players and even the higher level players who aren't happy with the lab change need to go back to basics and grind it out with regular feed and fertilizer like we did before the labs were even introduced years ago. So many events to keep the rewards coming in. The game is meant to be hard to level up for a reason, to keep us playing and get frustrated at times to make us buy gold. Many of us are guilty of exactly what the company wants, to get frustrated with our progress in the game so if we have the means to buy gold we will. The company isn't stupid, they know exactly what they are doing. We are their lab rats, plain and simple, whether you like it or not. You can either be one or not be one to the extent to which they want us to become one. Don't fall for it. Take a step back and really look at what you want from the game, because it is and always will be just a game regardless of how addicted one becomes to this game. I personally think that there will always be players who aren't happy with anything that disrupts their routine which is I guess their right to be, but to constantly whine and complain on an open forum is quite silly and immature to say the least but I guess it's their way of venting their frustrations out to anyone who will listen. There will always be someone to lead the good fight when enough people are not happy with anything whether it's right or wrong. Pressuring the company or anyone for that matter to change something they are not happy with is their right to a certain extent, but to continue to push their beliefs to the point where it becomes destructive especially with a video game is not right in so many ways. Say it once and be done with it. Be happy we even have this game to play and waste time doing it, because when it really comes down to it, that's all this game is, a big waste of time, but for the most part its a fun way to waste a lot of time. The stronger personalities on this forum will always be the first to speak up when they aren't happy with things, so they make sure they are being heard loud and clear which is kind of funny. It's a game, nothing more and nothing less, it only becomes something more when someone isn't happy with a change to their routine. I think the biggest problem with many players is they are very impatient and want things right now, that couldn't be any further away from how this game has to and needs to be played if you are not a gold buyer. I also have a level 300+ account on the US server that has taken well over 5 years of playing to build. Id like to finish this long drawn out rant or whatever this can be called to anyone thinking that I have no clue about the changes that have been made to the game over the last 5+ years since I started on the US server, they need to think again because I feel your pain, I really do, but the difference is I really don't care what they do to the game even when I've spent real money over the years as long as there is something for me to click tomorrow. I've adapted the mindset to just play what I want to play when it comes to the events. Trying to do it all will most likely leave you jaded like it has a few times for me years ago. So pick and choose your battles to stay within your comfort zone because it's really the only way to keep the game fun and stay sane enough, so that the game doesn't drive you insane like it clearly has with some players, especially the players who are always complaining the most, and the loudest.

BigTJ (US1) · 04.02.2021

There is no way to keep up with the catalysts to produce enough of the premium items to maintain my farm. I have made cow fee 3 times & am already almost out of the catalyst to produce more. I need to make at least 7 a day to keep up with just the cows let alone the rest of the farm items. Give us back the use of our labs or combine the new with the old. Let us make the premium items just as we did before & use the catalysts for the special seeds only, not for the premium feeds/fertilizer/humus. Very stupid, not thought through upgrade, more like a downgrade.

VAM (US1) · 04.02.2021

Another player mentioned seaweed and I am curious about it, too.

I have over 7000 seaweed and the description in my barn says I can use it to make humus, which is currently a lie....In fact, I have no idea what we can use seaweed for anymore. If they do keep the lab as it is now, they are going to have to change the description so we know what to do with it.

Perhaps instead of seaweed, the fishing restaurant should be dropping catalysts? And can we convert existing seaweed into a ton of catalysts?

RosyStarling · 04.02.2021

The tool tip is indeed incorrect and I have reported it

Image: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/719855795822395425/806939166226513990/unknown.png

It is still needed here

VAM (US1) · 04.02.2021

@RosyStarling

Thanks! I have never made that, so I didn't know it could be used there! Good to know it has a purpose somewhere, just not for me, LOL!

ALZAKAR (IT1) · 04.02.2021

VAM (US1) said:

Another player mentioned seaweed and I am curious about it, too.
I have over 7000 seaweed and the description in my barn says I can use it to make humus, which is currently a lie....In fact, I have no idea what we can use seaweed for anymore. If they do keep the lab as it is now, they are going to have to change the description so we know what to do with it.
Perhaps instead of seaweed, the fishing restaurant should be dropping catalysts? And can we convert existing seaweed into a ton of catalysts?

right, the GGS made the change without taking anything into account

AHC (US1) · 04.02.2021

So am I to assume the lack of any comments from GGS means...they figure most players will just put up with the new changes? I guess the only real thought put into "upgrades" is how much more money can they suck out of those players who will still buy gold. We're so important that management can just ignore us.

Exxy (INT1) · 04.02.2021

@AHC (US1)

I'm pretty sure, that they are analyzing / evaluating all the feedbacks

Do you really need to hear : "We're looking into it"

There is really a lot of elements to evaluate

-Tigerlily- (GB1) · 04.02.2021

Please be patient. GGS are busy developing a new game and they need extra cash flow (surprised they didn't inform us). This is from the German forum and the link is valid.I translated it using Google Translate for your convinience.

https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2020-12/51565068-goodgame-studios-erweitert-die-marke-big-farm-um-neuen-match-3-titel-big-farm-home-garden-007.htm

Hamburg (ots) - Having recently reached a milestone of 500 million registered players, Goodgame Studios is proud to announce the next big event with the pre-release of "Big Farm: Home & Garden".

The game extends the successful Goodgame brand "BIG FARM", which has won over 92 million players to date. As a match-3 title with design and decoration features, "Big Farm: Home & Garden" offers a completely new, but complementary approach to play compared to the other games in the portfolio, "Big Farm" and "Big Farm: Mobile Harvest" . "Big Farm: Home & Garden" can now be pre-registered on Google Play prior to its global launch.

In "Big Farm: Home & Garden" players can express their creative abilities by renovating, furnishing and decorating various farm areas and buildings such as the barn, the chicken coop and the herb garden. Hundreds of design options offer maximum freedom to discover your own creativity. Furthermore, the player experiences a special feature in the match-3 puzzle; by unlocking cute playable animals on the puzzle board, the player can finish each level and unlock new areas. Big Farm fans will feel right at home, meet old friends from the Big Farm universe and help them with their renovation tasks.

Original content by: Goodgame Studios, transmitted by news aktuell

Original message: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/106446/4796311

AHC (US1) · 04.02.2021

Exxy (INT1) said:

@AHC (US1)

I'm pretty sure, that they are analyzing / evaluating all the feedbacks

Do you really need to hear : "We're looking into it"

There is really a lot of elements to evaluate

What do you figure IS a reasonable time for some kind of answer? I think maybe they should have looked into it before making such a change.

Exxy (INT1) · 04.02.2021

@AHC (US1)

I dont know

You need an answer to what exactly?

domino666 (INT1) · 05.02.2021

Actions speak louder than words

))

gavinfarms (US1) · 05.02.2021

Thursday passed with still no single word from GGS. We have entered the territory of absurd.

GGS clearly does not have respect for the forum. A week has gone by and no one from GGS has said a single word.

I expected them to blow the communications aspect of this.....but this is blowing it more than I ever expected.

CraigDad (US1) · 05.02.2021

change the lab back the way it was and add a new building for the junk i will never use

foz (US1) · 05.02.2021

Thanks for taking the fun out of this game! Really! I have been playing for almost 5 1/2 years, run what was until now 2 successful farms, spent countless hours stockpiling feed and fertilizer so that I could be a competitive farmer. Spent way more money than I should have, and now it all seems to be wasted time, money and effort just so you could make it "fairer for everybody". Please explain how you made it fair for anyone? Now you have taken away most of the means to level up, how do I get rep points if I can't make and use premium feed and fertilizer? This looks like a step towards making this a pay to play game. Over the years the changes that have been made have been tolerated, ignored, misunderstood and we continued to play, but this is just low down and mean! Please explain your rational for this as nobody that I have talked to can make any sense of the changes.

The Best King (INT1) · 05.02.2021

I'm not going to defend ggs, i'm not a paid lawyer lol but i would like to point out a few things:

I've hardly been counting the days (though i admit that quite a few days have passed), but i have heard that they were away for the first few days, this should be taken into account.

Although they could be completely ignoring us for good, there's a big good chance that they're trying to figure out a way to appease the players while not completely back-rolling the update as they probably did the update for specific reasons as well as it would show weakness and teach players that if you kick up enough of a fuss, they can be forced to change something in the game.

Of course, if i was running the company, things would hopefully be a little different, but how would i know, there are multiple complex things about running a company that are just as important important than pleasing the customers, although that is an important part of any business.

And you're all saying that ggs should give a statement and that ignoring the players is a bad and incompetent move, well, even if you're right, you also say that the update (specifically the lab) was an bad and incompetent move, so why are you acting like you think that ggs should be incompetent one moment, and competent the next?

I saw, we all just have patience for now, try to adapt out farms to make the best out of the update, and hope for the best

RosyStarling · 05.02.2021

-Tigerlily- (GB1) said:

Please be patient. GGS are busy developing a new game and they need extra cash flow (surprised they didn't inform us). This is from the German forum and the link is valid.I translated it using Google Translate for your convinience.

https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2020-12/51565068-goodgame-studios-erweitert-die-marke-big-farm-um-neuen-match-3-titel-big-farm-home-garden-007.htm

Hamburg (ots) - Having recently reached a milestone of 500 million registered players, Goodgame Studios is proud to announce the next big event with the pre-release of "Big Farm: Home & Garden".

The game extends the successful Goodgame brand "BIG FARM", which has won over 92 million players to date. As a match-3 title with design and decoration features, "Big Farm: Home & Garden" offers a completely new, but complementary approach to play compared to the other games in the portfolio, "Big Farm" and "Big Farm: Mobile Harvest" . "Big Farm: Home & Garden" can now be pre-registered on Google Play prior to its global launch.

In "Big Farm: Home & Garden" players can express their creative abilities by renovating, furnishing and decorating various farm areas and buildings such as the barn, the chicken coop and the herb garden. Hundreds of design options offer maximum freedom to discover your own creativity. Furthermore, the player experiences a special feature in the match-3 puzzle; by unlocking cute playable animals on the puzzle board, the player can finish each level and unlock new areas. Big Farm fans will feel right at home, meet old friends from the Big Farm universe and help them with their renovation tasks.

Original content by: Goodgame Studios, transmitted by news aktuell

Original message: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/106446/4796311

The Announcement for Big Farm: Home & Garden was also made here, on this Forum, on the 19th December, so you didn't need to Google translate it

It is a Match 3 game and only connected to Big Farm in name
There are several other games under the Big Farm banner

Heather Norsk (US1) · 05.02.2021

Katie.M (INT1) said:

....Sure it's a free game to play and should only be looked at it like it is, it's free no if's and's or but's about. No one made anyone spend money on the game or to stick around for years on end slowly building our farms up, but that also doesn't give us the right to make demands ..... they do things that just don't make sense at times when it changes things so drastically and disrupts our routine, but it's their right to do what they want even if it doesn't make sense to us.....The company isn't stupid, they know exactly what they are doing.....Don't fall for it. Take a step back and really look at what you want from the game, because it is and always will be just a game regardless of how addicted one becomes.....Be happy we even have this game to play ..... for the most part its a fun way to waste a lot of time..... I really don't care what they do to the game even when I've spent real money over the years as long as there is something for me to click tomorrow. I've adapted the mindset to just play .....So pick and choose your battles to stay within your comfort zone because it's really the only way to keep the game fun and stay sane enough.....

Katie m, your post makes perfect sense. I concur with basically everything you said (sorry for chopping it, was too long to quote it all). But, I do have another viewpoint to add. The issue I have is they offered a feature in the game. We accepted the offer & bought it, with our time, farm $ and gold for over 4 years time. Then they took it away. We were blind-sided. It makes us feel like we wasted our valuable time and money, and for it to be ripped out from beneath our feet makes us feel vulnerable and robbed.

I can adapt to the change, figure out a different way to farm without it, but that doesn’t take away the feeling. I think BF could have taken an opportunity to make this change without making us feel this way.
One of those ways to adapt to the change, is to add better decorations back to the farm. Then today we get the news they canceled the CNY event which can reward with a fabulous decoration, so I’m left feeling a bit gutted yet again.

I initially kept quiet here on forum after this update; I chose to wait to see if my initial feeling about the lab change would subside before saying anything. I have to say, after 6 days, I am not any less upset over it. I may have accepted it, but how it happened & the actual loss, still leaves me with a sour taste. Since the update, I have 3 labs & a few other buildings that have sat dormant because an outside source interrupted their processing flow. It’s not just 1 thing that was taken away, it affects so many others. It’s been a spiral effect and tough to look at things that were once productive, now sitting dormant. We see enough of this in the real world these days; it’s worse when it’s extended to the game. It’s depressing to say the least, and who wants to pass their “play” time at something as depressing as the news, or just looking out the window. Many come here to get away from all that.

KatieM, you also mentioned they must change things up or players get bored. Well, so much is thrown at us every day in this game, I don’t know how anyone could possibly get bored. We didn’t need a change. We didn’t want the change. We still don’t (at least most players based on what I’ve heard and read). Thank you for all your thoughts, for the ideas you did bring forth!

I have read most comments on all 15 pages so far. I think my favorite has to be from clinn(RO1) on the 2nd page, explaining PR. Yes, I totally agree. If they had approached this change in a different way, they wouldn’t have so many upset players, because we wouldn’t have that feeling of being robbed. This is not the 1st time players have been really upset about a change (think horse racing?), but maybe with your note Big Farm will take the suggestion to heart & perhaps create a position for a PR person to help their company in this area. Players are already so upset now, and without any word back yet, their irritation has only grown, so it might be too late for BF to do anything that will be pleasing to the most hurt players (apart from restoring the lab the way it was, which I highly doubt will happen-hopeful, but doubtful).

Several posts have asked for a refund, but I don’t think that’s practical. If the programmers had however, compensated by upgrading each player’s lab to whatever level they’d be able to produce what they were able to produce before, that might be a step in the right direction.

Personally, I would like to see a few deleted recipes return to the lab; in particular, the ability to make the higher level catalysts from the lower ones. Apart from giving us a lot more ways to obtain catalysts, that is the only thing I can think of that will get me to spend any more cash to upgrade these (in my current opinion) defunct buildings. But that’s just my opinion on the catalysts, maybe a suggestion.

MountainSplash (US1) · 06.02.2021

You are so right. It is not just the lab change...it is all the feelings that go along with it. It's one thing to add challenges to the game. It is totally another thing to take away things that so many have worked so hard and paid so much to establish. I think my most bothersome feeling is wondering what else they will just take away or change? It may just be a game but people do put a lot into it and we just don't want it wiped out. I think we all understand the game needs to make money but no one wants to feel bullyed into paying and/or playing. It would go a long way for me if at least some sort of counter producted ways would be introduced to at least give us some hope again. For example much higher amounts of catalysts are wanted/needed to stay at a competitive level with all these events. Also, I would so appreciate some sort of major happiness boost so that it doesn't cost $50,000+ for 1 orchard etc. to produce. Maybe make contracts easier to fill by not having just the same product all the time on both regular and fish contracts. Anything that would help us would be so much appreciated. Thank you for any consideration you give to help those of us who love, play, and support this game.

Jan Update - The New Year Update [Discussion]

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