What am I doing wrong that I'm struggling to advance? - Level 31 player

[Gardienn]

I'm having a hard time advancing in this game through normal game-play. (P2P is out of the question.)

At first I was trying to sell sell sell, but my barn and silo kept getting capped and I couldn't find enough parts to expand big enough. I quit playing last year when I couldn't earn enough money to buy a deli or candle maker and my income and level stagnated.

I just came back and changed my strategy. I realized I was buying and reselling way too much before, so now I'm buying only what I really need and sending out lots of hard earned plane (sleigh) deliveries. I'm at least slowly getting parts. I could finally expand my barn to 275 and silo to 260, but I'm still feeling the crunch and can't gather enough, usually, to send the train. I am finally at about $32K from $22 about a week ago, but I'm still stuck at level 31.

I'm so frustrated. Again.

I have three silos; two sheep, pigs, chicken, and cows; and one chocolatier, jeweler, deep fryer, juicer, bakery, kitchen, dairy, hive, herb garden, and studio. I've expanded to the tree house (actually, I have two, for some reason), train, mine, and bait shop. I have chocolate, apple, orange, and lemon trees. Still, I must be doing something wrong to not be able to advance levels or send the train, forget about expanding to the balloon, buying a deli, or getting a candle maker.

And yeah, I have a hard time sending standard deliveries of hard-earned, high-end goods in exchange for what seem like low experience and coins and the chance to get a deed, shovel, or other elusive expansion items. Yet I keep wondering if there's some secret catch that I have to send out those crappy deals to advance.

What am I doing wrong? Am I missing something? Is there a better strategy?

Heeeeeellllp!

[PookieBear50]

I'm not sure what I would suggest. However...

- limit what you buy to only what you need (which you have already decided to do). For that matter, ONLY buy as close to basic goods as possible, rather than purchasing finished goods. You'll want to make those so you can sell them.
- don't try to completely fill the train. If you have to, just fill it up to the 6th item, when you can get 2 gems. Otherwise, just let it go, it's not worth the stress (or the coins) to complete. Save your goods for plane deliveries and/or selling in your side shop.
- get over the reluctance to sell high-end goods for plane deliveries. It's the only way you're going to get large amounts of XP and coins to advance...not to mention (since you don't have any pets displayed) the only way to get deeds, etc.
- fulfill any plane orders you can, and discard the ones you can't. If anything, also discard the ones that ask for many goods for ridiculously low prices (for example, 8 items of varying value for only 150 coins) and hold out for low but more tolerable deliveries.
- don't be afraid to craft and sell in your side shop. If you think you can manage it, craft items that you know other players are likely to buy, either for their own crafting purposes or to fulfill orders. Baits might be work; so might livestock feed, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, etc. Higher level players might be searching for shortcuts to craft goods and buying these items allows them to direct their efforts to crafting higher end goods.

Other than that, all I can say is good luck!

[Annica5]

I'm level 60 and very seldom fill the train to the fullest, so don't fret about that. When I really need upgrade parts I try to fill all plane orders, but other times I delete all that offers low xp and/or little money.
Tip about selling: flax is easy to sell and grows pretty quickly.
And for me, it's been the difficulties that has kept me coming back to this game :) Really challenging! Haven't expanded fully yet, silo and barn still could use more upgrading... Not to mention that sleigh...
Good luck!

[Gardienn]

Good tips. Thanks for the encouragement.

[LipGloss911]

I'm level 60 and very seldom fill the train to the fullest, so don't fret about that. When I really need upgrade parts I try to fill all plane orders, but other times I delete all that offers low xp and/or little money.
Tip about selling: flax is easy to sell and grows pretty quickly.
And for me, it's been the difficulties that has kept me coming back to this game :) Really challenging! Haven't expanded fully yet, silo and barn still could use more upgrading... Not to mention that sleigh...
Good luck!
^Very good post!

I'm at level 63, and doing very well at this point. I hoard maps, and buy them when I can, so my farm now is fully expanded. I never do train deliveries, just plane orders. I sell most big ticketed items, and keep some for the plane for high xp. That will get you to the next level very quickly.
I did this without every paying a single amount of real cash in the game. It was a real struggle in the first 1-40 levels, but be patient. It gets easier as you advance.
Good luck! :)

[Iloveasherbuns]

I would recommend pricing your items below market price. I see people hiking up the prices on just about anything. I plant a butt load of spinach and sell it for 301 coins, even though the market price is 350. You'll get some XP, plus you'll make some good money. As a matter of fact, I price EVERYTHING at least 20-30 coins below market price. I can't keep enough spinach in my sell slots because they're purchased very quickly.

[ghjvcucjb]

I would suggest you concentrate on one aspect at a time. Do you want to make money, then focus on making items to sell. Do you want parts to expand, mine, saws, then focus on plane deliveries (never look at plane deliveries as a way to make money. The money is a bonus. It's the items you get for the deliveries that matter) And if you struggle to complete trains then don't do them. I haven't done a train delivery in close to a year.

The strategy that works for me is to Work on income for 3-5 days: that means make, harvest and sell in the market. Then switch to plane deliveries for a few days. Rinse repeat. Sometimes if there's something I want to buy, I'll focus on that amount plus $150k above costs until I get it. If you insist on doing train deliveries I would suggest 1. Make 7-10 of hard to get items loaded into your barn first and 2. Get good neighbor's who will help you out.