Which Industry is best?

[24girl]

I currently have 2 of each but I'm wondering if it's better to have more of a certain kind. Which is a better value? What are your thoughts? I play all day long so I can collect frequently.

[totaltechno]

I have all Idea factories.

[benbever]

Currently the idea factory is the best, so six idea factories (2 hour contracts) is the best.

[24girl]

Thanks for the info.

[mylittlelego]

Since I'm close to getting idea factory what's the max contracts that can be acquired?

[nmid]

I currently have 2 of each but I'm wondering if it's better to have more of a certain kind. Which is a better value? What are your thoughts? I play all day long so I can collect frequently.

Actually there was a time I used to use green houses and drain my energy with its basic contract (when I was reading an ebook and was online for 2-3 hours and could log in constantly).
I used the plants till almost level 36 thanks to the bugged(?) non expirable scary steam contracts with a return of 70x per hour.
Shifted to idea factories now after I got bored a bit and had enough money to burn to build them all in one go.

So in a nutshell, it depends on ur play style, how often u can log in and how much money do you have.

[Redcliff12]

I have noticed that factory goods spoil. I never have this issue with a greenhouse. Does the idea factory spoil as well?

[nmid]

Yes, all contracts spoil at an over run of 1.5 times.
However I have never seen the steam contract expire/spoil. 3 hour contract of the factory.

[redshift9]

Yes, all contracts spoil at an over run of 1.5 times.

Ooh, I didn't know the exact expiration time. Very useful. Thanks!

[GramYaYa]

I'm a new player and not familiar with the relationship between industry, population, businesses, and community. Currently, my industry building limit has been reached. Do I need more population? more businesses? Thanks!

[Charsville]

The game limit is 6 industries. It doesn't matter how many buildings you have, or your population.

[grouchomarxist]

I figured I'd resurrect this old thread rather than create a new one.

My question is: why do all the high levelers use idea factories? I notice this... most have 6 idea factories even though they have the WORST contracts.

Can people not do math? You get maybe 1 1/2 goods per coin, at the most. The greenhouse is the best because you get 2 goods per coin... do high levelers think they're too cool for the "cheapest" industry or something?

If you use idea factories, what is your logic?

I have 4 green houses and 1 each of the other two just for looks. I might go to all greenhouses though.

[SenseiNJ]

I figured I'd resurrect this old thread rather than create a new one.

My question is: why do all the high levelers use idea factories? I notice this... most have 6 idea factories even though they have the WORST contracts.

Can people not do math? You get maybe 1 1/2 goods per coin, at the most. The greenhouse is the best because you get 2 goods per coin... do high levelers think they're too cool for the "cheapest" industry or something?

If you use idea factories, what is your logic?

I have 4 green houses and 1 each of the other two just for looks. I might go to all greenhouses though.


I think it depends on how much times they check the game daily, and how much energy they have available. Using myself as an example, if I know I won't be able to check in for about 8 hours (like when I'm asleep) I use 6 idea factories and put 8 hour contracts. During the day I rotate between idea factories and greenhouses based on the amount of energy I have available. I'd usually have the idea factories with 2-hour contracts, then after 2 hours I'd collect the goods. Since during that 2 hour period my energy refills, I'd switch out the idea factories for greenhouses and use 3 minute contracts to use up my energy, then repeat the process again.
It's about playing the game to suit yourself and get your optimal goods output, not trying to look cool. Not all players are the same so each person would have their own reasons for their industry buildings. I just happen to have enough time for my method, that's why I use it.

[grouchomarxist]

Using myself as an example, if I know I won't be able to check in for about 8 hours (like when I'm asleep) I use 6 idea factories and put 8 hour contracts.

Okay, but your usage which you just outlined, makes no sense. I think most high levelers are making a similar mistake. The idea factory's 8-hour contract sucks in comparison to the greenhouse or plant's 8-hour contracts. Its simple math, so lets look at the 8 -hour contracts from each industry:

Greenhouse: 1.739 goods for every coin spent

Industrial Plant: 1.6 goods for every coin spent

Idea factory: 1.33 goods for every coin spent

I guess if money is no object, go ahead... but you're using those overpriced goods to fuel businesses, thus cutting into their profitability as well.

[grouchomarxist]

Also, if anyone is interested, here are screenshots of the current contracts in case you want to do the math yourself:
GREENHOUSE:
http://imageshack.us/a/img339/8328/imagejflh.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img687/2163/imageyxvu.jpg

INDUSTRIAL PLANT:
http://imageshack.us/a/img23/9595/imagegcj.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img824/7532/imageisyy.jpg

IDEA FACTORY:
http://imageshack.us/a/img17/7540/imagehzu.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img577/2998/imageojk.jpg

[psykopod19]

In one day, I collect 2 times on 8 hours contracts, 1 time on a 4 hours contract and 1 time on a 2 hours contract.
With the Idea Factory, I collect 980 goods per factory per day.
With a Greenhouse, I would only collect 660 goods per factory per day.
That's 1920 more goods per day.
So when you make 60k to 100k coins per day, it doesn't matter if your goods per coin ratio is not good.
My business are supplied, that's what I need...

[SenseiNJ]

Okay, but your usage which you just outlined, makes no sense. I think most high levelers are making a similar mistake. The idea factory's 8-hour contract sucks in comparison to the greenhouse or plant's 8-hour contracts. Its simple math, so lets look at the 8 -hour contracts from each industry:

Greenhouse: 1.739 goods for every coin spent

Industrial Plant: 1.6 goods for every coin spent

Idea factory: 1.33 goods for every coin spent

I guess if money is no object, go ahead... but you're using those overpriced goods to fuel businesses, thus cutting into their profitability as well.

I understand your point, but as you suggested, money is no object for me. I make a comfortable 75,000 coin profit daily using my method. If I were to use greenhouses, it would significantly decrease, because I won't have as much goods.
I performed all these calculations and more when I first started playing. If you focus on input rather than output, you'll find yourself taking much longer to level up and progress. You also didn't account for the other factors like time, businesses and energy in your calculations.

Like I said before, everyone has their own method and reasons for playing the game. For some people it may because the like the look of the buildings rather than its practicality. Rather than criticizing their methods, it is best for one to develop their own methods. Best of luck to you.

[lotuskat]

I figured I'd resurrect this old thread rather than create a new one.

My question is: why do all the high levelers use idea factories? I notice this... most have 6 idea factories even though they have the WORST contracts.

Can people not do math? You get maybe 1 1/2 goods per coin, at the most. The greenhouse is the best because you get 2 goods per coin... do high levelers think they're too cool for the "cheapest" industry or something?

If you use idea factories, what is your logic?

I have 4 green houses and 1 each of the other two just for looks. I might go to all greenhouses though.

Um...Idea Factories look good? I don't see the need to get all worked up about it, lol!

[grouchomarxist]

lol, I'm not "worked up over it", thanks. I was just curious as to why so many of my neighbors use Idea Factories exclusively.

You get more goods, but at a higher price per good. You can then supply more businesses, but you make less profit from those businesses as well as use more energy to click all of them. It makes more sense to have a few big-ticket businesses stocked, like the Metropolitan or similar, rather than putting your goods through numerous businesses, using up more clicks.

I have seen a few huge cities with all greenhouses, so I'm not alone I guess, just in the minority :)

[79MattG]

grouchomarxist, your ideas and raw facts intrigued me, so I did some math.

For contracts ranging from 2-8 hours, idea factories' supplies/coin ratios range from 1.5-1.33. Greenhouses' ranges from 2.4-1.74, with the 3 hour contract being the only one above 1.82.

Per hour, idea factories pay 90, 60, and 35 supplies for 2,4, and 8 hr contracts, respectively. Greenhouses pay 50, 60, 40, and 25 for 2, 3, 4, and 8 hour contracts.

As businesses pay out roughly 3.15-3.3 coins/supply, the better investment is the factory that can provide you with the most coins/hour to feed back into your businesses which convert supplies to coins at a higher rate than factories convert coins to supplies.

Energy is not a variable in this equation as everyone uses all the supplies they get for whatever businesses they have.

I just calculated an average day based on my playing style and my net coin gain was 38% higher with idea factories than it would be with greenhouses because of the sheer number of supplies I'm able to turn over. I'll stick with my idea factories.

[MHz_]

Mattg, you're right in the way you calculate the effective coin-supply ratio, but if you reverse it and calculate the effective supply per coin ratio, you'll see that the idea factories are more punishing and cost a lot more coins for the supply you earn. This is intentional due to the fact your overall output is higher. You slightly cut into your profitability, but as you progress into higher levels, your profits per supply increase from higher level businesses.

This will be addressed in the big update I'm working on, where the best value overall will come from short term contracts (1/3/5/10/15 minutes) which will effectively eat up a lot of player energy, but will keep the game sessions fun and engaging. We'll also offer long timers (8/12/16/18/24+ hours) that will have a much weaker yield for their time. My goal is to encourage more consistent daily play (3-5 times a day), as opposed to long term once daily play.

[79MattG]

as you progress into higher levels, your profits per supply increase from higher level businesses.

Yes, I should have qualified that my remarks are valid for the buildings available at the level I'm playing (62).

[lilacpear]

Mattg, you're right in the way you calculate the effective coin-supply ratio, but if you reverse it and calculate the effective supply per coin ratio, you'll see that the idea factories are more punishing and cost a lot more coins for the supply you earn. This is intentional due to the fact your overall output is higher. You slightly cut into your profitability, but as you progress into higher levels, your profits per supply increase from higher level businesses.

This will be addressed in the big update I'm working on, where the best value overall will come from short term contracts (1/3/5/10/15 minutes) which will effectively eat up a lot of player energy, but will keep the game sessions fun and engaging. We'll also offer long timers (8/12/16/18/24+ hours) that will have a much weaker yield for their time. My goal is to encourage more consistent daily play (3-5 times a day), as opposed to long term once daily play.

This is all fine and good. Short term contracts should yield best value overall, if only to reward more frequent players.

I used to have several Idea Factories out in earlier levels, but stored them all because the goods often spoiled. I liked the Idea Factory because it's the only industry in which a 1-hour contract is available. No matter how busy I am, I rarely go more than 2 hours without checking my phone during work hours, so the 1-hour contract was the most convenient for me throughout the day. However, I found that the spoil time was not consistent with Idea Factories - sometimes goods would spoil a few minutes after the 1-hour mark, other times they would last for 2 hours (and not a minute more). This, of course, might be just my imagination, but when I had nothing but Idea Factories out it always seemed to me that I returned to spoiled goods no matter what I did. I also noticed that the game did not alert me when the Idea Factory contracts finished.

Greenhouse goods, on the other hand, take much longer to spoil and are much less expensive. I prefer Greenhouses now. The longer spoil time is especially convenient while I'm sleeping for longer than normal, i.e. on weekends.

Even though I no longer use Idea Factories exclusively, I still run the 1-hour contract whenever I know I will be looking at the phone every hour. That's really the most convenient contract there is in terms of time/goods received, despite its outrageous price ($215 for 100 goods). Whatever you do with the in-game math, please do not eliminate the 1-hour contract (though I wouldn't mind if you made it cheaper! :) ).

-lp

[MHz_]

This is all fine and good. Short term contracts should yield best value overall, if only to reward more frequent players.

I used to have several Idea Factories out in earlier levels, but stored them all because the goods often spoiled. I liked the Idea Factory because it's the only industry in which a 1-hour contract is available. No matter how busy I am, I rarely go more than 2 hours without checking my phone during work hours, so the 1-hour contract was the most convenient for me throughout the day. However, I found that the spoil time was not consistent with Idea Factories - sometimes goods would spoil a few minutes after the 1-hour mark, other times they would last for 2 hours (and not a minute more). This, of course, might be just my imagination, but when I had nothing but Idea Factories out it always seemed to me that I returned to spoiled goods no matter what I did. I also noticed that the game did not alert me when the Idea Factory contracts finished.

Greenhouse goods, on the other hand, take much longer to spoil and are much less expensive. I prefer Greenhouses now. The longer spoil time is especially convenient while I'm sleeping for longer than normal, i.e. on weekends.

Even though I no longer use Idea Factories exclusively, I still run the 1-hour contract whenever I know I will be looking at the phone every hour. That's really the most convenient contract there is in terms of time/goods received, despite its outrageous price ($215 for 100 goods). Whatever you do with the in-game math, please do not eliminate the 1-hour contract (though I wouldn't mind if you made it cheaper! :) ).

-lp

My plan will be to offer contracts for ALL lengths of time that players will want. It will definitely favor short term contracts, but will offer long term versions as well in case players want them.