Thank Grog It’s Firday!!
Ah…another Act is upon us, and another “Grindtastic Weekend” awaits! Is it possible to stay on track to “get everything,” while still having a life? Yes. Yes it is…if you are smart about how you spend your time. Most of the “grinding” these days is actually “Grinding Lite,” as the critical stuff only takes a few seconds.
But, EA has continued to make things challenging, once you win items…in that with the item limit restrictions in place, some of us have to be pretty clever in how we maximize our bonuses. We need to have fun with the items that we win…without getting the dreaded, “YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR ITEM LIMIT…YOU SUCK!” message (I might have been paraphrasing there a bit…but it is the way it makes you feel).
Nonetheless, (don’t you love a word like “nonetheless?” It looks like a run-on mistake…but it really is a word! Like aforementioned, and heretofore…English is so weird sometimes), where were we? Oh. right…Nonetheless, there are ways to deal with the Lag Issue that some continue to face, as well as trying to figure out ways to maximize our bonus earnings while cramming everything into the “Bonus Blue” area for Itchy&ScratchyLand.
Let’s take a look at some solutions.
The two primary things that are making our Tapping Lives Terrible (or at least challenging), may seem like they are related. But, in fact they are not. MOST of the LAG issues that people are facing have to do with their device’s ability to handle all of the animation that is going on in your towns. And it is exacerbated by some of the untested, or weirdly lazy programming that is going on by EA.
Case in point:
Lags that only occur when you have your Injury 500 Track assembled and running (animation running). This has been worsened by the animation running on the Log Ride after you place and assemble it.
There are loads of people offering suggestions…but the most basic one, is to simply disconnect the tracks slightly…or remove them altogether.
Ebron has opted for a full-blown “Reductionist Approach” to her Injury 500. She has removed all of the track completely…and made a bumper car version instead.
This is hilariously cute…and seems to take the “lag” out of her game (which for people at my age, means something completely different).
The initial problem with this, is that you give up most of your Earning Bonus for ISLand.
To make up for this, she has maximized her Log Ride…and a beautiful Log Ride it is! She reports that with various decorations, the main gate etc. she still maintains a 20% bonus, without the “Lagtastic” Injury 500 track running…while still minimizing lag.
She continues to face the same Item Limit Hell that I do…but, isn’t afraid to wipe out old designs for new…allowing her to stay just back of the current Item Limit Hard Barrier of 11,500 items.
I am 18 items away. (I tested by placing bunch of flowers until I got the limit warning). Ugh. But, I won’t get into that again…as EA has already had an earful (and any other orifice I could reach) about this ridiculous issue.
What I HAVE done…is figured out a way to maximize my earning power (almost) which will allow me to cruise to the finish line…with nary a worry about “Getting My Bort On!”
As of Thursday Night…(day 2 of this act) I am at 35% Bonus. I will add to this when I add to my Log Ride…but, have to hold off on any more decorations, to keep from having to “go pruning” again in my gardens and forests to keep me below the limits.
Here is what I have design-wise so far…
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT
As you can see, I have my “animation studio” off of the grid…as it doesn’t give me any bonus. I have also kept some land to the left of my track, to be able to fit my ‘Zoominator” when Act II hits. After this event is over…all bets are of, and will go into heavy re-design mode…
For me…the real “crime” of EALP (EA Lazy Programming) along with the Lag Issues…is that it is so brain-dead EAsy to complete the levels...while offering uninspired, parts of a prize we already earned. I’ve said it before…It’s like winning an IKEA shelf unit. You won it…but still have to put it together…and all of the parts may or may not be there.
But…it does give you your life back.
The TARGET to hit on a daily basis is 3980 Axes (they call them Axes…but, they are actually more of a hatchet size). So…I currently cycle 11 characters, that each earn 81 axe-ets each. Log on 4 times a day…for 1 minute…and you are golden!
4 x 81 x 11 = 3564… and we almost always get a 1,500 bonus with the Daily Challenge. That’s without taking the time to hunt down any of the Park Attendees. And that is with a 35% multiplier…not the full allowable 40%.
Four times…a minute each time… You will Get Your Bort On!
This event has been less than ideal…I admit it. Lags. Bugs. Limits. It is a challenge to say the least. But, the key here, is to just Chillax…take it as it comes, and remember that it’s just a game. You don’t need anything special to play it…or really even need to spend money (unless you want Maw Spuckler...I don’t).
So…have a great weekend. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just log in…clear/send your Ride team. And have a life!