Tricks to playing this game I wish they had told me in the beginning... [Archive]

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mcwrapper

03-13-15, 09:23 AM

I have been playing this game for years now, and there is little tricks I wish people had told me. Here are a few of them.

1. If you click on everything you want to collect on then quit the game and come back everything will be collected without waiting for collection animation. This one I wish I knew about a YEAR ago. It makes things MUCH faster.

2. If you leave an enemy alone you can collect everything without the worry that all your advance clicks won't cancel out. This and the exit trick are a great combo.

3. When you get an offer to install a game...DO IT. You get 30 gems just for playing the game for 10 seconds. Plus if you play there other games you will often get 30 gems in their other games as well because they often do the same game promos in different games.

This one was really hidden for me. It's crazy but they don't promote that you get 30 gems per game installed. You don't find out until afterwords.

Plus you can get 30 more gems if you keep playing the game.

4. The ability to get Expansion Permits goes away if there is no land to use them. Always keep one plot of land open so you can keep making Expansion Permits. They make new land available quite regularly so it's good to have a backup of them.

5. Buy at least ONE RED FLOWER. I know it seems like a rip off for over 30 gems for a flower but there are so many quests that need red pedals. You can get red pedals from weeds but it's not common. Same yourself the trouble and buy one or two of those flowers.

Any other tricks I missed?

ShibuyaCloth

03-13-15, 09:58 AM

#1 bis: Go in the social menu and wait 5 seconds. This has the same effect without quitting the game.

kooky panda

03-13-15, 10:21 AM

1. If on IOS device, if you pull down then pull up your notification bar it will also automatically collect everything you had clicked.

3. Please note that IOS players do not get gems for downloading and playing other games. There are other goals that will offer gems, but not the ones you are posting about.

Korlcek

03-13-15, 11:55 AM

Most of my gems have come by playing other games on iOS. Allthough the quest itself does not award gems, the one that follows has alwways been to collect from a coin building and awarded gems, 30 for installing, 15 for leveling up. Some games provided 3 level up goals giving total of 75 gems for a single game.

burritosprings

03-13-15, 12:05 PM

mcwrapper

03-13-15, 12:55 PM

3. Please note that IOS players do not get gems for downloading and playing other games. There are other goals that will offer gems, but not the ones you are posting about.

You are incorrect on that. IOS players DO get gems when downloading games. I have hundreds of gems to prove it.

Anaboe

03-13-15, 01:11 PM

mcwrapper: Apple and iTunes forbid developpers to give rewards for installing other games.

Instead, after installing, we get offered another, mostly easy goal and get rewarded for that goal. In Castle Story the follow-up goal is usually something like "collect from any coin building" or "visit 5 community memebers".

You do NOT get rewarded for installing the game and TL/S8 will never reward you for it.

But, just like you, I have gotten hundreds of gems and gold for fulfilling other goals.

fluffybutter007

03-13-15, 01:13 PM

You are incorrect on that. IOS players DO get gems when downloading games. I have hundreds of gems to prove it.

I think Kooky is referring to the fact that you "collect from a building" to receive the gems, not by downloading and playing the app. Which you gotta download and play to open the goal to collect from a building, lol. :)

SpiritWind00

03-13-15, 05:31 PM

I've been drafting a thread with this exact topic. I'll keep this thread open and incorporate the ideas here until I'm ready to go live. Might call it "Castle Story 101"!

cccymaaa

03-13-15, 10:20 PM

Try not to click in the middle of the screen, that is where the gem trap lies.

valmommy

03-14-15, 07:02 AM

I've been drafting a thread with this exact topic. I'll keep this thread open and incorporate the ideas here until I'm ready to go live. Might call it "Castle Story 101"!

Thumbs up!!

mcwrapper

03-14-15, 06:24 PM

I've been drafting a thread with this exact topic. I'll keep this thread open and incorporate the ideas here until I'm ready to go live. Might call it "Castle Story 101"!

Or how about leaving it and scudding yours since its a duplicate thread seeing how that's the rules of the forum.

mcwrapper

03-14-15, 06:26 PM

reliquary

03-16-15, 08:29 AM

queentina3

03-16-15, 08:34 AM

The gifting/return gift feature is ridiculous and has always been broken. If you go by that you end up re gifting the same player over and over.

Actually that is what many of us do, pick three neighbors and gift/receive from just them. This way we get/give what the person needs/wants, and we're only allowed to gift three anyways. *shrugs*

I couldn't handle having that many neighbors as when it came time to send requests, I'd go nuts. You can only receive 20 requests per day and if you try to request from 30+ people, it won't actually send all the requests out and it bogs down your system that you have to wait a day for it to clear and then re-request again. I try to pick about 25 neighbors that I know are active and playing when I have to request an item for a goal as then I'm guaranteed to get most of them and not clog my game.

tuffyjkitten

03-16-15, 09:40 AM

On the topic of sending requests to neighbors....

If it's something I need for a specific goal, such as unique oils or student wizards, I only send 20 requests a day, going thru the neighbors list and making a note of who the last person I sent to was. Then I start with the next neighbor the following day and send 20 more. Keeping track of who responds is a good way to see who plays regularly.

For neighbor requests during timed events I start with the neighbors I know respond based on the previous list. I also keep track of who requests those same event items from me and ask them in return. It's been a quicker way to complete the timed event goals since I'm only requesting from people who are actively participating themselves, so they understand the urgency.

meme1098

03-16-15, 09:42 AM

After you get your allotted 20 requests returned, then send a request to Stormie and you'll get one more making the total 21 for the day.

queentina3

03-16-15, 09:57 AM

After you get your allotted 20 requests returned, then send a request to Stormie and you'll get one more making the total 21 for the day.

Really? I thought it didn't fulfill requests if you were already full. Huh, good to know!

meme1098

03-16-15, 10:46 AM

Just Stormie...but don't send the request until after your 20 allotted are received. Then send 1 to Stormie for 21.

PurpleScorpion76

03-16-15, 04:05 PM

After about a week of a big event available for Level 15+ neighbours and check to see if they're playing in the event. If not delete the inactive neighbour.

I always write a polite message on their wall something like 'I'm currently deleting inactive neighbours, are you still playing? If I've made an error please re add me, my ID is...'

Anaboe

03-17-15, 05:55 AM

I've visited all my 460 neighbours last night, and deleted those who don't seem active anymore. I still have a suprisingly high nummer of 260 neighbours left. I'm sorry, I couldn't bring myself to posting politie messages on 200 walls, mostly of people who won't ever read them.

I posted a msg on my own wall, starting that if I wrongfully deleted you, you can always reinvite me.

The clogging-info is just an urban legend that doesn't seem to be forgotten. The systeem isn't clogged when you send out requests to 260 neighbours. It's just that only the 20 first responders get to see your request that day. The next day, also 20 first responders get to see your request, etc. Etc.

PurpleScorpion76

03-17-15, 01:26 PM

Don't use the golden trade until your maxed on golden eggs, apples and nuggets.

reliquary

03-17-15, 02:57 PM

Don't use the golden trade until your maxed on golden eggs, apples and nuggets.

Just my opinion, but I don't let any go to waste. I do the trade when i have 90 of one item(in my case nuggets) and at least 20 of the others(the apples are the rarest) I tap my apple trees a lot, so I do this or the pie/lemon aide trade almost every night. It's like the daily market goal in FTW.....one can amass quite a few gems if done regularly.
On adverage I get about 1-2 apples, 2-3nuggets, and 2-3 eggs per week.
And the pie/lemonade trade is easy and quick to make....I try to keep ~20 of each on hand to do the trade anytime I'm low or saving up for another goal.

shambalaya

03-19-15, 02:59 AM

What to do with your first gems?
I would spend my first 20 gems on a pink pig immediately when starting, you can only go on your first adventure when you have bacon, and the piggies take their sweet time growing up. I just remember that it took forever to get the resources and especially bacon together for the simple feasts. Also 27000 for the castle, 12000 for a black pig plus what the staples cost is a lot of money for beginners.
Alternatively I suppose you can start saving up for the 90 gem Apple tree, to get a golden apple for sir Pigglesworth, if you don't want to wait until you unlock the 1800rp Magic garden or until the tree drops from the dark cave adventure (it'll also drop from desert sands and feral lands, but those adventures come even later in the game). Golden Apple will also drop from the fruit trade (the one where you exchange items in order to get fruit) and from Belladonna.

BiggerBubbles

03-19-15, 02:03 PM

Another great tip is keeping a handwritten note of all your gifts from neighbors so you can return them in order.
I have many notes and lists, many more when at a lower level, but I can easily tell who is active and who needs what item.

My advice is to keep anywhere between 150-250 neighbors. It seems the most manageable. and when the list of gifts reaches the end you can go thru and start gifting in alphabetical order.

The gifting/return gift feature is ridiculous and has always been broken. If you go by that you end up re gifting the same player over and over.

I got fed up with keeping gift lists, used to stress me out. Now, I only accept 3 gifts a day, immediately returning them, one at a time, until I've done 3, so when the list comes up, if someone doesn't have accept next to it, I've already sent them a gift back. Of course, this can mean you can miss gifts, if you get lots and they drop off before you can accept them, but I just find it easier. I've been playing since Oct 12, so don't really need anything. I bought a small pack of gems that Xmas for the fruit trees, which was just as well as I never got any from adventures for probably at least a year. Other than that I haven't spent any real money. I know that means I'm not supporting the game, but my husband would be very upset if I spent any more real money. So I am missing quite a bit of gem stuff, but it doesn't really matter. I'm just grateful to those that do.

awzah

03-20-15, 03:35 AM

Thank you all for the good tips. Just now I knew that only 20 get your request !!

mcwrapper

03-21-15, 09:19 AM

#1 bis: Go in the social menu and wait 5 seconds. This has the same effect without quitting the game.

Now if you click on the flower menu prize list it cancels out animations too. So that's even easier then quitting or waiting at the social menu. :)

CharmOfLea

03-21-15, 11:55 PM

One thing I wished I had known early in the game: don't u ever "give" any materials for a time-limited quest unless u have the complete required numbers ready. Once these materials are "given", or loaded, they are out of ur hands. Should u not fulfill the quest within the time limits they are truly lost (they don't reappear in ur storage and u don't get any rewards). Ur welcome. :D

Roosters28

03-22-15, 10:12 AM

mcwrapper

03-22-15, 04:18 PM

If you click on something you did not mean to click, immediately hit the edit button. This will cancel everything you clicked on before the animation takes place. This is very helpful whe there are a lot if items close together and you accidentally hit the wrong one :)

That's another great hint. I just wish gems had a cancel button but team lava doesn't care because gem traps make them money.

Seriously700

03-23-15, 08:17 AM

Now if you click on the flower menu prize list it cancels out animations too. So that's even easier then quitting or waiting at the social menu. :)

Great tip for quick collecting. I am loving this and will miss it when this event is over

readysetgo888

04-04-15, 01:07 PM

Here are my best tips for newbies:

1 - If you get a pop up inviting you to try another game, DO IT. You get 30 gems just for opening it and playing for a couple minutes. If you continue to play it, you can earn up to 45 additional gems.

2 - Spend $7 on the game the first time they offer you a sale. This is enough to get the 250 gem pack. With it, buy the following:
Apple tree (90 gems) most important as it gives you a chance to get a golden apple and sir Pig much, much sooner than if you wait - sir Pig is very very useful. If you buy only one thing, make it this and collect from it until you get the golden apple.
Lemon tree (60 gems)
Orange tree (30 gems) if you have all three fruit trees, you can begin doing the delicious trade in the royal exchange when you have this available - it helps you earn gems AND trade tickets - both very important!
Red trillium (35 gems)

OPTIONAL (less important in my opinion, but worth considering if you have extra gems)
Sheep (35 gems)
Maple tree (40 gems)
Pig (20 gems) you can buy a black pig for 12,000 coins and you will likely get additional pigs from adventures, but at the very beginning of the game when 12,000 coins is a lot, if you have the 20 gems a pink pig can be worth it and enable you to do the meat delivery trade for extra energy AND trade tickets more frequently.

If you do this, you will have a much smoother and easier game experience for very little investment. I totally understand not spending your life savings on phone games, but for a game that you play multiple times daily over months and months, $7 seems like very little investment to make a better experience in my opinion.

3 - If you are willing to spend a little more, or if you save up enough gems from playing other games, or if you spend another $7 the next time you get offered a sale, buy a wizard school. This is the most useful thing you can have in the game after getting the items on my first list. It is awesome, and you want one, I promise. The extra energy it gives you really adds up.

(((This is how I played the game - I got sir Pig right away and he helped me out tremendously. I have spent a total of $14 lifetime on the game and bought every single gem thing I recommended, plus a couple others I didn't recommend, and two wizards schools. The gems came from a combination of two 250 packs bought during sales, playing other games, and the gems the game gives you from various things including adventures. I can't overstate how much more enjoyable this has made the game for me. Totally 100% worth $14 for a game I have been playing multiple times daily for months.)))

4 - Be cautious when attempting to save gems. Gem traps are everywhere and they will steal your gems if you don't learn to tap very, very carefully on the screen. Gem traps are the little purple pop ups that allow you to do things like speed up your chicken for 5 gems. Trust me, NEVER spend gems on speeding anything up, and try never to do it on accident. If you do ever buy gems, know exactly what you want to spend them on and get everything right away before you lose your gems in a gem trap.

5 - The Royal Exchange

Do trades as often as you can. You want to earn as many trade tickets as possible! The two energy trades are the most useful (fruit trade and meat delivery). Work to do them as often as you can. The eggs and dairy exchange is also very useful. If you buy the three fruit trees, you can make the items needed for the delicious trade and earn gems AND trade tickets.

Spend your trade tickets in this order. This is VERY IMPORTANT:
Save 99 tickets and get the tinker camp FIRST before spending tickets on anything else. If you follow the advice in #6 and do NOT unlock the magic garden until you've done this, it will happen faster. It still takes a few weeks, but this is well worth doing. The tinker camp acts as a third workshop / potion shop - there are times when this comes in VERY handy. I highly recommend making this a priority.

Next, save 50 tickets and get the Royal Chateau. You will NEED it for a goal farther down the line, so it's important to make sure you don't find yourself with no trade tickets and needing the Chateau to advance in the game. You will definitely be able to get the tinker camp first, and then the Chateau, before you reach this point in the storyline (it will take months to get to this point), but the Chateau should be your second trade ticket purchase.

After this, save trade tickets and make expansion permits when available. You will eventually need many of them. The other things you can do with trade tickets are NOT worth it - don't do them.

6 - Tablet of Tabernum, The Magic Garden and Thurston

Unlock the Tablet FIRST - it gives you a lot of royal points which will make it easier to expand to the garden and Thurston. Collect from the Tablet as often as you can. Very, very rarely, you will get a goal which leads to some awesome bonus.

Unlock Thurston (the guy in his underwear) BEFORE the magic garden, regardless of the order you get the goals to do them.

DO NOT UNLOCK THE MAGIC GARDEN until you are close to hitting 99 trade tickets and getting the tinker camp. I would recommend doing this when you hit 90 tickets. Once you unlock the garden, the fruit trade for +5 energy goes away, and instead you get a trade that is IMPOSSIBLE to do more frequently than once a week. This severely limits your ability to earn trade tickets quickly and the tinker camp is much more important than the magic garden ever will be. You can complete every single step in the magic garden goal except actually clicking on it for the first time when it's available. That way, when you're ready for it, it will be ready.

Also, DO NOT PLANT OR HARVEST GLIMMERBULBS UNTIL THE MAGIC GARDEN IS UNLOCKED. This has the same effect as collecting from the magic garden and will RUIN your ability to do the easy energy trade and earn trade tickets quickly.

This is the way I played and it made the game much easier for me as I was able to get my tinker camp much more quickly. The magic garden does not give you anything you need right away, and you can continue advancing the story on other goals while you collect your trade tickets. Once you are close to getting the tinker camp, it is definitely time to unlock the garden as you do need it from that point on.

___________________________________________

I believe this is all the advice I have for now - I will come back and add more if I think of anything additional. If anything I wrote is confusing or if you need advice, please feel free to PM me. I'm happy to help anyone out if I can!

PraxisOfGood

04-04-15, 01:53 PM

readysetgo888

04-04-15, 01:56 PM

I agree with everything in the preceding post except that you can buy black pigs for gold. Gem pigs have a higher chance of dropping truffles, but that's not as important as a regular stream of bacon as soon as possible. Have four cows, four pigs, four ponds or wells, and two hatcheries, and you'll do fine with the trading post. (That's not to say that you shouldn't have two stables too, just that IME you don't really need chickens to keep up with the trades.)

Oh you're totally right - I completely forgot that pigs were also available for coins, I thought they were like sheep. I have 4 pink pigs and only 1 black pig so I forget. I will edit my post.

I also agree that the chickens become useless pretty quickly, I only collect from my two hatcheries and have plenty of eggs and roast chickens. I find the two stables more important than the hatcheries because they give bacon.

queentina3

04-09-15, 12:58 PM

This isn't a trick per se, but it is something I wish I had looked into further when I first started the game. I was always in need of water and since I'm gem stingy, I ended up buying 4 or 6 ponds (depending on the game) and then had a few Wells (not sure how I got them but I think from adventures or something), anyways, I really wish I had taken the time when I first started out to make the Wells instead of purchasing the ponds. They are just too large, take up too much space, and expansion takes forever.

Now, in both my games, I'm starting to make Wells and starting to store my ponds. If there's any advise I can give, it would be to do that in lieu of purchasing ponds.

Korlcek

04-09-15, 01:20 PM

Now, in both my games, I'm starting to make Wells and starting to store my ponds. If there's any advise I can give, it would be to do that in lieu of purchasing ponds.

In addition to wells taking less space, early in the game they have 15% drop rate for mermaid scales while ponds have only 10%. I was collecting a lot of water early on and wrote down drop rates. They drop fish at the same rate of 40%.

These drop rates increase after 1st shard and after troll tribe. I now collect only from swampy pond.

PraxisOfGood

04-09-15, 01:53 PM

Do the wells drop the exotic fish as often as ponds though? Not that you really need as many exotic fish as you get from the ponds, I suppose.

Anaboe

04-09-15, 02:51 PM

I've finished Sinister Sister for quite some time now, so I can say I'm an advanced player. I never made any wells, and have 5 ponds and 1 swamp in my kingdom. I never have a shortage on space, even tho I haven't fully expanded (those *&(^%$ expansion-permits are taking waaaaay too long).

It all depends on your style of gameplay. I don't care how my kingdom looks, I don't seem to get it pretty, no matter what I do. So I decided to make it as efficient as possible: 16h buildings sticked together, crafting-buildings sticked together, no decor.

My tip: invest in multi-drop things: it is a huge save in energy.

queentina3

04-10-15, 12:32 PM

Do the wells drop the exotic fish as often as ponds though? Not that you really need as many exotic fish as you get from the ponds, I suppose.

Well, you will when you start cooking for the Feral Adventure a lot, but, I'm not sure if the drop rate is the same or not since I have the Fish Market and the Swampy Pond, they'll probably make up any difference I'd lose. And, if I find I need the ponds due to a reason like that, I can always pull them out again for a short period of time and then put them back. I just don't like wasting all that space when the Well seems to be just as sufficient, for my needs at least. :)

sugarlevi

04-11-15, 10:10 AM

Wells don't drop the exotic butter- and catfishes at all.

And the normal ponds drop them less than the swampy pond does.

PawPrincess

06-25-15, 12:08 AM

and we're only allowed to gift three anyways. *shrugs*

Why does Team Lava/Storm8 limit players to only gifting three neighbors per day in Castle Story? In some of their other games I play they allow players to gift more than three neighbors per day.

tigarlilyvol

06-25-15, 05:40 AM

Why does Team Lava/Storm8 limit players to only gifting three neighbors per day in Castle Story? In some of their other games I play they allow players to gift more than three neighbors per day.
Cause 3 is their favorite number. I guess they want games to be different, and some more difficult or controlling.

burritosprings

06-27-15, 08:18 AM

Do not hit Home button when doing a multiple collection.. just got *****ed out of my Rouncey energy.. I did get the drops but not the energy.

Anaboe

06-30-15, 04:43 PM

Helpfull hint if you're a hoarder: a lot of items can only be found during some times in your quest-line. Usually you can get or make more than you need. Always try to make atleast one extra: take a look at the unofficial goals, even when you're just lvl 5.

I regret going throught quests too soon, and missing out on some opportunities.

jim23cash

09-21-15, 04:16 PM

I got fed up with keeping gift lists, used to stress me out. Now, I only accept 3 gifts a day, immediately returning them, one at a time, until I've done 3, so when the list comes up, if someone doesn't have accept next to it, I've already sent them a gift back. Of course, this can mean you can miss gifts, if you get lots and they drop off before you can accept them, but I just find it easier. I've been playing since Oct 12, so don't really need anything. I bought a small pack of gems that Xmas for the fruit trees, which was just as well as I never got any from adventures for probably at least a year. Other than that I haven't spent any real money. I know that means I'm not supporting the game, but my husband would be very upset if I spent any more real money. So I am missing quite a bit of gem stuff, but it doesn't really matter. I'm just grateful to those that do.

If you don't accept gifts, the sender will never know. So whoever gifted you used one of their 3 daily gifts and never gets acknowledged or gifted. You basically are just wasting a gift for no reason.
I do the three neighbor gift swap thing usually, but if you have more than 3 gifters, start at the bottom of the gifter list. One day's worth of gifts drop off the bottom each day. If you have more than 3 in one day, record the ones you don't gift, then start with them the next day, after writing down the extra ones for that day. That's the best system I've found.

Jagger517

04-05-16, 02:58 PM

Please post more advice!

My $0.02 is that the Multi-Colour Hedge is totally worth 40 gems, as you get 5 petals each collection so it's easy to stock up. And I get a ton of rare petals from it, including red ones nearly every single collection!

Also, I'd like to thank readysetgo888 for their fantastic advice. I actually started over with a new game due to that post, and am thrilled with the results!

yummy_bistro

04-05-16, 08:18 PM

Try not to click in the middle of the screen, that is where the gem trap lies.

argh yes! Also when I tried to use one hand to play!!
coz both my arms were tired lol

dipwid

04-07-16, 12:51 PM

Tip-when preparing for events, as a general practice I do three things;
1. Check the forum regularly. This helps you find out about the event early after it starts and what players are encountering/experiencing.
2. Try to stock up on all supplies (but not to max inventory in case of a event goal that wants you to collect a supply item).
3. Put several buildings of each type out early enough that they are ready to collect when the event starts( you can then be ready to collect from several of what is needed at the beginning of the event.) you can change what you have out after the first collection once you know what building you need out.

yummy_bistro

04-07-16, 08:38 PM

Jagger517

04-08-16, 12:06 AM

Not really understand this tip

2. If you leave an enemy alone you can collect everything without the worry that all your advance clicks won't cancel out. This and the exit trick are a great combo.

Do we not beat them and leave them alone, and we go collect other coins and crops?

thx

I'm guessing this is referring to when you click on a bunch of things in a row and then a monster pops up, which then cancels all the actions that haven't been done yet.

Like, let's say you click on five buildings, then ten crops, then five animals... if a monster pops up on the second crop you go to collect, then your guy/girl just stops and doesn't continue collecting from the other crops or the animals. If you then fight the monster, you can go back to re-clicking on your other eight crops and five animals again... but if another monster pops up, your character stops again and all those re/pre-clicks are lost!

However, if you leave the first monster on the screen, and re-click on everything you originally wanted to (as long as the items aren't caught in the monster's stink-cloud) before finally fighting the monster, then you won't lose any more pre-clicks and won't waste as much of your time re-clicking on activities.

Does that make sense? o.O

hgainous

07-08-18, 05:35 AM

What do you mean gem trap??

MoonVillage3

07-08-18, 06:26 AM

What do you mean gem trap??
Gem Traps we ALL fall into sometime or the other. It's when we're tapping fast, clumsy fingers, or in a hurry we tap the same collection we just did.. and 'speed-up' in time whatever.. paying gems for this action.. WHEN WE DIDN'T WANT TO!!! :blue:
It happens sooo frequently. We 'beg' developers to add a confirmation tab, so when this happens we can 'null' our actions, as the board is full of them 'gem traps' that steal our precious gems!
Some actions may cost 100's of gems so actually a very sad and depressing move if we're saving them for something else we dream of or need more.