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Exodus from the game

GGS, please take note. If our co-op is any indication, roughly half of the players have quit playing, or are extremely discouraged. I do not think it is any coincidence that this happened during the Island Farm event. In my opinion, the Island is the worst thing that has ever happened to Big Farm. Based upon the recent exodus and disgruntlement, I think the vast majority of players would agree. I am glad the event has ended. I only hope the original appeal can be recovered. I know the Island is supposed to return, but I sincerely hope compensation can be given to players, and that the Island is abandoned. The ship was another aspect that the Island helped ruin. Return the ship to it's original state. Change the greenhouse so that it can still be of use without the Island. The Island is a money-sink. I imagine that it was designed to be so. It also required gold to be able to make it worth anything. Dedicated players who buy gold will still buy gold. Do not drive away the casual gold buyers and your potential future customers. I have been a dedicated player since the inception of Big Farm. I am thoroughly discouraged. Please do not drive myself and others like me away. Take note of this, and make the necessary changes.

Please...
Post edited by Mark Burleson on

Comments

  • Yakoska (US1)Yakoska (US1) Posts: 1,631
    edited 07.09.2014
    Disagree. Almost entirely. Though I am very sorry to hear about people not enjoying the game. I am a casual gold buyer, and a regular player. The Island was big. And none of us knew quite what to do with it. Well the big gold buyers had no issues I'm sure. The rest of us had to make decisions about how to play it. I don't think GGS will (and I don't want) change that. The reason I don't think they will change it, is that its already a part of the game. Example: the hardest level of each of the events we already know is hardly cost efficient for the +4 happiness bonus (78 vs 74). Its not meant to be. Its meant to provide a challenge for those who want it. Additionally, each farm we've earned (through leveling up) has been tougher and more expensive. When you unlocked your flower farm did you expect to be able to complete it immediately? No of course not. There's no way you had the resources (Unless you are a huge gold buyer). So why expect that you would master the Island immediately?

    The reason I don't want them to change it, is that I like a game that forces me to make choices. Do I focus on the Island, or my Mains? Without that, its just a game of clicking on the next thing without thought.

    I am certain the Big Farm community will have good guides to follow, based on your level, activity, and goals for the Island next time it comes around. Like how to get shells with a minimum of effort (I believe the answer is in fields and oranges) Just like there are tips and tricks for each event. Hopefully armed with that knowledge, each person can enjoy the island without feeling stressed.

    And just think, someday, when you are sitting around with 100 million, you may have to decide... do I do the Island, or buy that Charitable Telescope....
  • RunsWivScissors (GB1)RunsWivScissors (GB1) GB1 Posts: 6,633
    edited 07.09.2014
    Yakoska wrote: »
    Disagree. Almost entirely. Though I am very sorry to hear about people not enjoying the game. I am a casual gold buyer, and a regular player. The Island was big. And none of us knew quite what to do with it. Well the big gold buyers had no issues I'm sure. The rest of us had to make decisions about how to play it. I don't think GGS will (and I don't want) change that. The reason I don't think they will change it, is that its already a part of the game. Example: the hardest level of each of the events we already know is hardly cost efficient for the +4 happiness bonus (78 vs 74). Its not meant to be. Its meant to provide a challenge for those who want it. Additionally, each farm we've earned (through leveling up) has been tougher and more expensive. When you unlocked your flower farm did you expect to be able to complete it immediately? No of course not. There's no way you had the resources (Unless you are a huge gold buyer). So why expect that you would master the Island immediately?

    The reason I don't want them to change it, is that I like a game that forces me to make choices. Do I focus on the Island, or my Mains? Without that, its just a game of clicking on the next thing without thought.

    I am certain the Big Farm community will have good guides to follow, based on your level, activity, and goals for the Island next time it comes around. Like how to get shells with a minimum of effort (I believe the answer is in fields and oranges) Just like there are tips and tricks for each event. Hopefully armed with that knowledge, each person can enjoy the island without feeling stressed.

    And just think, someday, when you are sitting around with 100 million, you may have to decide... do I do the Island, or buy that Charitable Telescope....

    Totally agree..... Good post! :thumbup:

    There was a lot of confusion caused by lack of information, but that would be my only real cristism. The whole event is still not unlocked (the horse ranch) so I think its far too early to condemn it - Next time around it will all make much more sense from the start.
  • elunia13 (GB1)elunia13 (GB1) Posts: 162
    edited 07.09.2014
    Yes, good post, Yakoska, and good post, RunsWivScissors! :-) Couldn't agree more! I sincerely do not believe people left the game because of the island (aaaah, how I miss my peacocks...). I have two farms on two different servers and not a single person left in my coops. Yes, there was quite a lot of grumbling, but people do grumble about almost anything... The only criticism of the Island event that I have is that it was accessible at such a low level. It shouldn't be, because, as Latten said somewhere, this event was created with advanced players in mind, somewhere above level 60. On en1 server I am level 103 currently, on www1 server only 64 and I could see the difference with the Island. On en1 server I finished the island event a few days in advance, on www1 I didn't even complete chapter 2. Yes, island requires a lot of money to do, but I rather spend my money having fun, than just pumping it into this silly telescope... So, GGS, bring back the island, quick, please! :-)

    P.S. I have no time now to look for the threads, but there are ways of doing the island without gold, provided you don't try to complete all the side tasks and are prepared to demolish and re-build things as you need them.
  • Jiesta (NL1)Jiesta (NL1) Posts: 6,557
    edited 07.09.2014
    Great posts Yakoska and scissors!! I do totally agree with all 3 of the above posts!

    I loved the surprise-effects and all the new challenges of the 4th temporary farm (this time: island). As I loved to have to figure things out, to think and rethink my choices and to carefully ponder each step. As from starting this game I loved to at least try to play it with as little as possible gold, because it simply means a greater challenge to me ... Without all of the aforementioned it would only be a game of thoughtless clicks to me.

    There are enough threads about the island and a lot of information, tricks & tips are already to be found there. Experienced players warned us in the forums that it was an extremely difficult challenge and probably only mend for the highest levels among us...

    As Elunia I am looking forward to see the next temporary 4th farm come around, but I do hope it will not be that frequently, so that we have some time to make some money again in the meantime. My choice would be, let's say: once every 2 or 3 months :)
  • RubyfarmerRubyfarmer Posts: 90
    edited 07.09.2014
    I agree with above but also see the op's point... moral was definitely low there for a while! I personally found the island very frustrating in the beginning due to lack of information! & being a leader I took it upon myself to trawl the many many posts & threads trying to find answers.. that in itself becomes a very annoying task! I actually took a break from bigfarm for a bit as I play to relax & enjoy the game... don't enjoy it so much when it becomes a chore or you feel like you've failed @ something! which I'm sure a lot of lower levels feel after not being able to complete the island.
  • ehv123ehv123 Posts: 3
    edited 07.09.2014
    Disagree. When a farmer starts his work he will never now what his results are. Is it raining or not. In fact you learn to spend your money on a propper way iff you don't buy gold. Each challenge has his own calculation, depending on what you want. Iff you want to buy it with gold its up to you. Iff you want to do it with your own farmermoney then you have to calculate. The same whit the Island you where able to go for the big sandcastle, or you can say the next time I spend less farmcash and play only for low prices and afort so the greenhouse, so your boat can go to his next harbor. I will say, Up to the next ISLAND
  • amaprincess1 (US1)amaprincess1 (US1) Posts: 636
    edited 08.09.2014
    Where's my seashells? I spent close to $30 MILLION before I resigned myself to the fact that it would be impossible to finish without gold. What did I get for my investment? About 120K seashells. That's it.

    I agree with the topic starter. This was the biggest game hoax to date. And that is saying a WHOLE lot.
  • jatoda (US1)jatoda (US1) Posts: 318
    edited 08.09.2014
    Lots and lots of money for nothing. Start over, I don't know about it. Just do the main task, see what happens. Leave all the little ones, if I even do it. I agree, bring back the old ship. Put a greenhouse on the island. Can only raise the island fruit on the island. Have a separate ship going to and from the island. Make something else out of the other greenhouse. Raise something to feed the horses or raise something to make fuel for the airplane.
  • tor9 (US1)tor9 (US1) Posts: 3
    edited 08.09.2014
    I wonder if the problem is that some of the first players had no idea what they were getting into and therefore felt suckered? I reached level 30 with nine days to go in the island event. After reading the initial posts, I decided to open the island but not commit until I saw for myself what was up. It was clear very early on that this was going to be an expensive and exhaustive event and probably impossible to complete in 9 days. So I grew oranges and grapes until the initial investment plus an additional $40K was used up, traded them in for seashells and bought enough seeds to get the ship bonus once or twice. I figured the missed bonuses might put me at a disadvantage when the horseshoe event/farm started, but them's the breaks. Since I didn't particularly like the island graphics, or the decos (a huge palm tree next to the dairy shed, really?), I don't miss not doing it and probably will be playing much longer before I'll welcome the challenge. But for those who do want to play it, I'm glad the event exists. As for new events, my strategy will be to wait and see what the early-adopters report before jumping in with both feet.
  • MrSaece (INT1)MrSaece (INT1) INT1 Posts: 147
    edited 08.09.2014
    my strategy for the next island event is to build 4 fields to their max level..keep planting oranges..which means spending around 100k island dollars per day(i think so)..maybe more..i think that's good enough to at least keep filling the boat(with the lowest amount required) everytime it comes..even after the event ended..but that still is a big amount for lower levels(mine is 67)..plus, the fact that mr.tentacle pays for our products with horseshoes instead of dollars is a big disadvantage for low levels..
  • RunsWivScissors (GB1)RunsWivScissors (GB1) GB1 Posts: 6,633
    edited 08.09.2014
    MrSaece wrote: »
    my strategy for the next island event is to build 4 fields to their max level..keep planting oranges..which means spending around 100k island dollars per day(i think so)..maybe more..i think that's good enough to at least keep filling the boat(with the lowest amount required) everytime it comes..even after the event ended..but that still is a big amount for lower levels(mine is 67)..plus, the fact that mr.tentacle pays for our products with horseshoes instead of dollars is a big disadvantage for low levels..

    Thats pretty much what I switched to doing after completeing the 1st chapter. I demolished everything and had 6 fields and as many decorations as I could fit, to cut production costs to the minimum - I only had half the island land opened & was on -89%.
    A word of warning though, omg it gets tedious doing oranges every 20 minutes and you need to be at your computer a LOT to make it worthwhile. At first I was doing oranges all day & grapes overnight, but for the last week or so I switched to just grapes, purely because it was easier to manage every 6 hours instead of every 20 mins.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 106,969
    edited 08.09.2014
    this is suppose to be a free browser based game , yet at every turn it wants your money , the island was a waste of time as is the gourmet farm , while there are players who want to waste their money on games like this others just want a bit of casual fun during our breaks , i have managed to get to level 40 without spending money but i am getting fed up with the constant marketing and unrealistic mission targets which seem to require you to spend money to finish.
  • AlainaSAlainaS Posts: 47
    edited 09.09.2014
    I found the Island farm to be a challenge, but a good one. It forced me to manage my money, and make decisions on what to by based on what I needed to complete the tasks. I only made it to the 2nd task of chapter 2, but it was fun, and I got a lot of seashells, and some great decos for my other farms. I also made enough money off the tropical fruits that I grew from the seeds, to finally expand my flower farm.
  • Farmer Loki (US1)Farmer Loki (US1) Posts: 125
    edited 23.09.2014
    I want the boat to go back to the way it was too, but it ain't gonna' happen. Was a lot better when you could fill a whole boat without the tropical fruits & you got more for it. I wish there was a way to get the horse farm without having to jump through all the island hoops, but I'm not even bothering with it this time other than to get enough seashells to get one tiny tropical item I want that's offered for the main farm. Other than that, unless you want to spend a ton of money on gold, it's a big money pit--that's what I named actually named my island farm the last time, too. I dont bother with anything other than the fields--it's pointless making drinks which sell for a fraction of what they cost to make, especially when you can sell the raw ingredients for more. I did that last time only so I could collect enough for the tropical hammock thing---a ridiculous amount of shells for a decoration that takes up nearly a whole parcel of land, but it's really cute & brightens up the farm, so I'm okay with that.

    Are they going to continue to have this event every few months? I doubt I'm going to play it any more except for the oranges, until I get up to a much higher level---there's no reason to for me at this point & the cute, exotic animals aren't worth the work, either, for what you get. Later, I might not mind chucking tons of money down the hole for a few horsies when I've got a lot more money, but right now, too much time/effort/money for too little reward when I've got more important projects pending on the real farms.
    GGS, please take note. If our co-op is any indication, roughly half of the players have quit playing, or are extremely discouraged. I do not think it is any coincidence that this happened during the Island Farm event. In my opinion, the Island is the worst thing that has ever happened to Big Farm. Based upon the recent exodus and disgruntlement, I think the vast majority of players would agree.

    Yeah, pretty much the same thing with my co-op. Nearly all of us either aren't playing the island farm, or are using it just for oranges & the other field crops just to get some decorations--we've all agreed that it's a big time/money suck. Only one other member besides me has an island farm at this point, and I'm not investing any money in anything other than oranges so I can buy a tiny decoration.

    Edit by PINJO: merged posts, please use edit button
  • Bertie (IN1)Bertie (IN1) Posts: 20
    edited 23.09.2014
    I agree completely with the first post....the island is a big hoax...reset the ships and players should have a choice about not playing the island. The game is so much better without this extra island....or change it into a regular dollar earning farm. Had the island had any means of earning island dollars or shells other than siphoning from the main farm, I would have enjoyed the event better.
  • RunsWivScissors (GB1)RunsWivScissors (GB1) GB1 Posts: 6,633
    edited 23.09.2014
    hamish28 wrote: »
    this is suppose to be a free browser based game , yet at every turn it wants your money , the island was a waste of time as is the gourmet farm , while there are players who want to waste their money on games like this others just want a bit of casual fun during our breaks , i have managed to get to level 40 without spending money but i am getting fed up with the constant marketing and unrealistic mission targets which seem to require you to spend money to finish.

    Who do you think pays for all the development/creation/running costs of the game? Its only available for you to play it for free because of those people that are willing to buy gold.
  • lint3lint3 Posts: 1
    edited 23.09.2014
    I agree with the original post on this thread. It is sickening now that the island is back and you are starting all over after all the time and money spent.
  • kbahr007 (US1)kbahr007 (US1) US1 Posts: 1,841
    edited 24.09.2014
    Up until today duie to the cost of the island farm the first time, i have said there was no way i was going to play. Well, I changed my tune a little. I am doing the temp farm but with the following criteria, I only exchange very little at the bank 1 - 2 times per day. I am expanding it enough where i can kepp my happiness high and my operating cost very low. I will have a total of 3 fields and just enough houses to keep harvests going constantly. If i see a task worth it I will do it. My aim was to be able to do some of the ship load outs and keep it going as long as i could after the island is gone. I may not be doing it the ideal way, but at least I am getting items needed for my greenhouse, shells and horseshoes that i will probably need in the next month
  • Lilypaddle (INT1)Lilypaddle (INT1) Posts: 614
    edited 24.09.2014
    lint3 wrote: »
    I agree with the original post on this thread. It is sickening now that the island is back and you are starting all over after all the time and money spent.

    You don't HAVE to play the island if you don't want to. This is what I don't understand. No one is forcing anyone to play the island or spend gold or farm cash on it.
  • AphasiaAphasia Posts: 223
    edited 24.09.2014
    maxiroy2 wrote: »
    You don't HAVE to play the island if you don't want to. This is what I don't understand. No one is forcing anyone to play the island or spend gold or farm cash on it.

    If I don't have to play the island, why do I have to wait 12 hours for the ship to cycle? That's what I don't understand.
  • Dara (SKN1)Dara (SKN1) SKN1 Posts: 2,638
    edited 24.09.2014
    That's what i don't like too. But IF i had not open the island at all, my ship would ask only 4 items and sail away.
    I did not know that. I wanted to try to play island at first time. So, now my ship asks 6 items and has to wait, just because i cannot fill it. I have an other farm an other server, level 43 now. in that farm i did'n open island at all and the ship is asking only 4 items. I can fill it and it sails away. AND i can have those horseshoes. So, i don't HAVE TO play island, like i don't in my other farm ;) (hope you understand what i want to say)

    So, IF only i had known it before......
    But okay, i grow oranges and have pina coladas and let the ship wait... ;)
    Maybe captain drinks a beer while waiting.....
  • kbahr007 (US1)kbahr007 (US1) US1 Posts: 1,841
    edited 24.09.2014
    i definitely agree, all i am using the island for is fruit and shells now, no upgradess except to have enough houses for 3 fields. and i will keep producing crops until the end of the island to get the shells, i am spending around 80,000 a day on it but that is it
  • Summers3Summers3 Posts: 103
    edited 25.09.2014
    I have said it this in other threads & I will say it again. As long as there will be gold buyers (frequent or casual buyer) the actual company will not pay attention to free players moaning after all the gold buyers makes the company being able to run the game in pure tyranny as they want (and to somewhat degree do)want. Another reason why myself stopped paying the employees paycheck. I see a lot of people saying that you don't have to this or that, which is correct. But if I don't have to play the island farm then why must myself and many others have to suffer as a penalty with the ship. All because we tried to see how far we could come for various reasons in the 1st version. As far as seeing people leaving the game, that is a very common thing happening in F2P games when companies starts to ignore players and makes changes in their own way. Which is why the claim of 20-25 million players are laughable, with those numbers they could beat top Asian F2P games (which they don't) (yes I know stay on topic)

    So what are the options? Try to look forward and now when the Island is here again, I'll say as I tell others in my co-op if you have the cash to burn off then by all means go ahead, if not then don't nothing less nothing more.
  • Lisamark (US1)Lisamark (US1) US1 Posts: 20
    edited 26.09.2014
    You go Mark ! The island is a waist....and a money sucker !!! with our projects and research the costs keeps getting higher the money blown on the island should go to the co-op account where its needed !!!
  • RubyfarmerRubyfarmer Posts: 90
    edited 27.09.2014
    maxiroy2 wrote: »
    You don't HAVE to play the island if you don't want to. This is what I don't understand. No one is forcing anyone to play the island or spend gold or farm cash on it.

    Totally agree no one is forcing anyone to spend gold! BUT in order to play our main game efficiently IMO we do indeed need to play the island! firstly to be able to fill our ships & secondly we have been lead to believe its an essential part of the yet to come "horse ranch" as per game overview...
    Personally I'm not spending any gold on the island! especially as we don't know exactly why we are playing it yet other than filling the ship & gathering a gazillion horse shoes that are currently worth jack....
  • Mark BurlesonMark Burleson Posts: 18
    edited 27.09.2014
    Here is something I did not mention in my original post that has just irked me to no end. I play the game because I enjoy it. I do not spend time cruising the forum. I knew the island was a temporary event, but I assumed when it returned, we would pick up right where we left off the first time. I didn't notice the island was ending until it was gone. My storage houses were full of items which could have been sold for seashells, and the island was populated with buildings I could have demolished for additional compensation. Not that I would have done that anyway. As I stated, I thought the island would be saved intact until round two. Afterwards, I checked out the forum. I discovered comments from people saying that the next temporary farm might be totally different, not the island. That is when I began to worry that everything that I had left there was lost, and it turns out that it was. I started the island this time, but within a day or two, I chose not to participate, and sold out far all the seashells I could. Now I find out that if I had not opened the island event at all, my ship would not require island goods before departing. Again, I am discouraged.
  • Jumbo Whiffy (GB1)Jumbo Whiffy (GB1) Posts: 44
    edited 27.09.2014
    maxiroy2 wrote: »
    You don't HAVE to play the island if you don't want to. This is what I don't understand. No one is forcing anyone to play the island or spend gold or farm cash on it.

    But many are being enticed into playing the island again due to the fact that they feel they may miss out on the horse ranch benefits if they dont! GGS starting the island again before opening the horse ranch is really unfair on the players and really naughty because they are fully aware of this fact! I bet that if they opened the horse ranch before the return of the island they maybe would have feared that many people would have been underwhelmed with the horse ranch, hence many people deciding not to bother with the island the second time around, hence many people not spending gold! Basically opening the island for the second time before the horse ranch is a calculated decision by GGS in order to sell more gold! I dont blame them really, they need to make money by squeezing as much of it as possible out of us gamers. They arent daft, but i think they've gone a bit too far this time! All I can say is that the horse ranch will have to be something spectacular in order to make the extra hours spent on the island farm benificial! If not they they may be left with a huge tropical white elephant!
  • AphasiaAphasia Posts: 223
    edited 29.09.2014
    Frankly, at this point, if the horse farm isn't something spectacular without having to spend gold on it, I'm out of here.
  • Latten (DE1)Latten (DE1) Posts: 6,246
    edited 30.09.2014
    While we always welcome constructive criticism, it's quite far fetched to try to establish an "exodus from the game" ;)

    As you can see in this very thread, there are many different opinions on the current situation of the game, and - of course - we're trying to make everyone happy eventually. However, I don't feel the wording of this topic and the discussion in the opening post is aimed towards a constructive discussion, and by now the discussion is all over the place and not focused to one topic at all, so I will close this thread.

    If you guys want to discuss the further plans of the game, the horse paddock or other upcoming features, feel free to create a new thread about them (or use an existing one).

    Thanks,
    Timo
This discussion has been closed.