Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!!!! Snow is falling in Springfield and snowmen are being built, Gingerbread is cooking and IT’S CHRISTMAS! May be less enthused about other holidays but Christmas is my favorite! Favorite at home and favorite in TSTO!
For the last year or so, EA has broken up Events into stages. Where every couple of weeks new prizes will be released. They’ve also, over the last year, added an element of crafting to each Event, where you pick which prizes you want and craft accordingly. And they’ve continued both methods into Christmas 2015.
While the prizes themselves are pretty self explanatory, collect this to earn these prizes, crafting is a whole other “animal”. Crafting requires some self direction. You decide what you want and collect the items to craft accordingly. Sometimes this is successful and sometimes it’s not.
We broke down the details on crafting for Act 1 here but now that a new Act has hit, let’s take a look at all the new craftable items added for Act 2…
As always let’s start with the basics….
How Do I Access the Crafting Menu?
To bring up the Crafting Menu you first have to access the Event Hub from your main Springfield screen. This is represented by the trophy in the bottom right of your screen:
From there you find the crafting Icon…
Tap on the icon and you’ll bring up the crafting menu, which will look like this:
What Items Do I Need to Craft?
To craft during this Event you’ll need the following:
Bows
Baubles (Ornaments)
How Do I Get Crafting Materials?
For Act 2 crafting materials can be earned the following ways…
Via Naughty/Nice Presents (check out this post for details on naughty or nice). Presents will yield bows.
Via tapping on Merrymakers in both your town and your neighbor’s town. Merrymakers yield Baubles (ornaments)
Via the daily/weekly challenges. Various challenges will unlock bows/baubles.
How Often and How Many Merrymakers Spawn?
The Merry Makers are supposed to spawn at a rate of 1/5 minutes. There can be a MAX of 40 in your town at once, and there’s a “bank” of 20.
Take that information for what it is…don’t yell at us if the results vary in your game. This is what’s “supposed” to happen according to the files…but as always results may vary.
So now that we’ve covered the basics…let’s go over some of the none basic questions you guys are asking…
When will Crafting End?
From what I can tell crafting will end on January 2nd, when Act 2 ends. So craft what you want before time runs out!
Is this It for Crafting Prizes Or Will There Be More?
From what I can tell this is it.
Should I Hoard Crafting Currency or Craft What I Want?
I think most of you will agree that it’s pretty easy to earn crafting currency for this Event, unlike past Events. So honestly, if you see something you want just craft it.
And now let’s FINALLY breakdown the Act 2 Craftable items….
As I always say…craft what you want and what you like. It’s a personal decision…if you like it get it. If you don’t pass.
Item: EFCOT Center
Cost:1,123
1,286 
Size: 12×10
Earns: $150, 13xp/8hrs
Conform-O-Meter: No impact
Unique: Yes, only 1 per Springfield
What Does It Do?: Aside from earning income every 8hrs, it doesn’t do a whole heck of a lot but take up a ton of space in Springfield. Right now it’s just a building that will sit there…
Item: X-mas Trees Slightly Irregular
Cost: 20 40
Size: 5×8
Conform-O-Meter: No impact
Unique: Yes, only 1 per Springfield
What Does It Do?: It’ll earn you prize currency (Act 2, Mistletoe)! Every 4hrs you’ll earn 160 
. It will also have a couple of tasks there as part of the Week 3 Challenges.
Item: Giant Outdoor Fireplace
Cost: 1,095
Size: 2×4
Conform-O-Meter: Obedience +10
Unique: Nope, craft as many as you’d like.
What Does It Do?: Not a whole heck of a lot, it’s your classic decoration for Springfield. It is animated, smoke comes from the chimney and the fire flickers…like fire does.
Item: Ice Sculpture Couch Gag Scene
Cost: 522 714
Size: 2×3
Conform-O-Meter: Vanity +10
Unique: Yes, only 1 per Springfield
What Does It Do?: Not a whole heck of a lot, it’s your classic decoration for Springfield.
Item: Festive Wreath Lamp Post x3
Cost: 96
Conform-O-Meter: Vanity +100
Size: 1×1
Unique: No, have as many as you’d like.
What Does It do?: Decoration for Springfield
Item:Festive Candy Cane x3
Cost: 96
Size: 2×2
Conform-O-Meter: Vanity +100
Unique: No, have as many as you’d like
What Does It Do?: Decoration for Springfield
Item:Lisa Snowman
Cost: 79
Size: 1×1
Conform-O-Meter: Vanity +200
Unique: No, have as many as you’d like
What Does It Do?: Just a decoration for Springfield..no bonus…will melt when Christmas is over. (reform next Christmas)
Item: Grampa Snowman
Cost: 79
Size: 1×1
Conform-O-Meter: Vanity +200
Unique: No, have as many as you’d like
What Does It Do?: Just a decoration for Springfield..no bonus…will melt when Christmas is over. (reform next Christmas)
Snow people from past Christmas events earn bonus %, however craftable snow people DO NOT earn bonus %. They’re actually coded as “no bonus”.
And that my friends concludes all of the details for crafting during Act 2 of Christmas!
What are your thoughts on crafting for this event? Do you find it fairly easy so far? Or are you struggling with it? Thoughts on the craftable items? Which ones have you gotten so far or do you plan to get? Sound off in the comments below, you know we love hearing from you!
I can’t craft act 2 prizes as after update the prizes are now back to act 1.
Seems like EA gave us 10 gifts per day now. Awesome! But I was more worried about the baubles. Especially since I was only able to get the fro 15 neighbors, not 30. But it seems EA increased it fro 1 per merrymaker, to 3 per merrymaker. Thanks EA. You continue to keep me happy.
I just got an update that brought back the act 1 craftables. Good news for those that were saving up and missed out. I might go for a second ski chalet…
Also, after the update I noticed I was back up to 5 presents to give to friends even though it doesn’t usually re-up for several more hours… maybe an early Xmas gift from EA?
Can’t wait to get Maggie! a long patient wait for her to finally be joined with her family
Nothing that I really want to craft – but…..
I have this nagging notion that EFCOT Center may be used in the future, since it is a Convention Center, for various tasks. I’m only 14 months into playing, so….. Does this seem like a possibility, or a Not Likely?
What the heck, I guess I can always store it.
probably not, seems they never use old buildings so far unless part of the main quest.
Hey, neighbors of mine! You really can gift your presents to your other neighbors instead of me. I have a very good amount of bows. Good for this act, nothing more to spend them on. Maybe next act I’ll need them again, but I’ll have a 1000 bow head start!
So, please give to the less fortunate, just like Patches and Poor Violet have taught us. You need me to open them? Send them as Naughty so you can get 10 more bows each time. I do not delete neighbors over gift giving, you’re safe. Your digital soul on the other hand….😈 ! 😈 ! 😈 !
Couch gag doesn’t seem to be unique. I’ve crafted it, and it’s still there for me to craft another.
Ice Sculpture Couch Gag Scene is not unique.
Craft as many as you want 🙂
In my case: want one 🙂
It would’ve been an awesome skin
bummed the outdoor fireplace isn’t a skin for the tirefire 🙁
You’re referring to that one show opening, right? Is it the same design? If so, I agree. At least, then, it would have been “giant”.
It would’ve been an awesome skin!
There are tires in the fire. I see it now! Yep, mistep on this tiny fireplace.
MAGGIE!
Did someone say something about Maggie?
Hmmm. That update didn’t seem to do much and contained too much data for what is added. I think that they may have added Maggie.
Hey! There’s a giant snow globe available, but it won’t let me buy it!!!
Hey, on a side note, I just realized the snow monster is now a playable character, just wanted to let everyone know!
Alissa, have you heard anything from EA about the Act 1 Craftables yet?
Nope. Not sure what they’re going to do on that one..
Gifts I dropped at 5am GMT
Davidbo33 in the park by Simpsons house
Sarah Gibbs
Ciarathomp988 both offshore floaters in heights
Brooders
Felicia both too full to leave one
Everyone else…….sorry they don’t give us more than 5
🎁 🎄 🙂
I had no idea they could float in water! Was a fun surprise after a stressful night at work, TY!
Haven’t been in my game yet but I’m reading there is a patch to fix tree lot challenge, I knew there was no need to panic 🙂
What you got to say now……
Delta nine Kepler Grim Reaper [XDeath Squad 3,000 CrewX] ?
They have fixed that bug (I’ve had to get up early today :().
Also added with that patch: if you look in the character collection (that statue of Homer in the build screen), Maggie’s been added to the Simpsons collection. So she’s finally going to appear in the game. 😍
Well spotted Rachael, 🙂
I just turned off my alarm as I don’t need to get up after today 🙂
🎄 🎁 🎄 🎁 🙂
The giant fireplace is actually rather tiny. And I have no clue what to do with it. Maybe an outdoor living room scene with the icy couch? Which then begs the question: will it melt if I put it to close to the fireplace???
Put iy behind a house of one of the Italian mob guys as a pizza an outside pizza oven? I was just gonna do that behind D’Amico summer home or even the Italian Villa
Could sorta hide it behind another building maybe, to give it its own smokestack if it doesn’t already have one.
Giant, my butt! (Go for it, Lee. :P) More like large, at most. My characters are about as tall as this thing. I cleared out the spot formerly occupied by the Gingerbread mansion… Hahahaha, it was like, “is it cold out here or is it just my fireplace” 😉 (Lee… Kidding. You don’t like to tease me, do you???)
I made a 3d step platform (my first ever), so now it looks slightly larger. Giant? Sadly not…
http://i.imgur.com/wkRWkBb.png
Did I 3d right? That middle front section I needed a half size block, but they don’t exist. Is there a trick to that besides hiding it with a tree?
it just depends on the 3d design you’re trying to create, and what you’re trying to create it around. if you know you will need to use half blocks, ice blocks, fancy walls and spooky walls are out. there’s a possibility you could use cobblestone walls, as those have a way to “cheat” and overlap corners at one of the perpendiculars. but in the case of this fireplace, i’d go with good ol regular hedges, which come in half size as well.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23555958/tapebeltGiantFireplace.png
Will Lisa and Grampa snowman really melt away? LOL
Unfortunately but they rise again next year
For this act I’ll be sure to craft everything before the act ends. I’m still upset that EA removed the act one craftables without any warning in a complete departure from previous events. I had plenty of crafting currency but didn’t craft any of the items I wanted. 🙁
Who knows if it will make a difference, but there are some posts (see below) on the official forums about this. Hopefully if they see that a lot of people are upset they will bring the earlier items back for crafting again.
http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/0/10386744.page#35405538
http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Simpsons-Tapped-Out/Ongoing-investigation-Weekly-challenge-no-1-crafted-before-it/m-p/5027133..
I was shocked as to the size of the Elfcot Center. It’s way bigger than I had anticipated. I still need the couch and an really close but I’m saving the best for last, I love the Fireplace. I have the perfect spot next to Unkie Herb’s mansion.
ELFcot centre, good one Ryan, and yes bigger than I thought 🎄 🎁 🙂
I’m in the same spot as you. Crafted Efcot a few days ago (no idea where I’m gonna put it permanently) and now I’m saving for the fireplace and almost have enough for the couch, but if worse comes to worse and I only end up having enough for one I’m definitely crafting the fireplace. It’s actually really small but it’s still a really cool deco. 🔥❄️
I’m not sweating it when I reach today’s challenge I’ll have enough for the couch so I’m sure I’ll get enough in the next 8 or 9 days for the Fireplace
Crafted Christmas Trees Slightly Irregular before crafting it came up as a weekly task and my game isn’t recognizing it as completed. Tried storing it and re-placing it, but nn change. Anyone else have this issue?
http://tstoaddicts.com/2015/12/20/christmas-trees-slightly-irregular-week-3-challenge-bug/
looks like they pushed an in-game update that resolved the issue with the first challenge, woohoo!
Kind of a large download just for that. I was hoping for level 60. We’ve been stuck at 59 unusually long.
They added other stuff that isn’t live yet, that is why it was big. 🙂
I’m still holding out hope they bring back the act 1 craftables. I’d like the igloo. Not holding my breath though.
Me too! I’d really like a ski chalet or two. I hope they return!
My tree lot never updated. Should I be worried?
hard close and restart TSTO..
The Bows are very difficult to come by. I just added 20 friends from the “add friends” link since some of my friends were not even playing the Christmas event. No problem here, on with strategizing for the best results! 😀
Is there a Act 2 calendar yet?
http://tstoaddicts.com/2015/12/19/christmas-2015-calendar-act-two/
thank you, must of missed that!
Not sure where else to post this, but heads up, the patch to fix Day 1 of the Weekly Challenge went live. May not be for all devices yet, but mine just force updated and gave me the prize!
Yes, me either 😄
I hope Crafing 1 shows up again but nope 😢 (sorry my bad english)
Will Act 1 Items be available again for crafting?
I wouldnt hold my breath on that one, it seems that they were removed on purpose just poorly communicated.