Topic

Problems with Firefly catching

1. There seems to be no way to cancel the action midway making you waste 60 energy if something goes wrong. Well, if there is, I haven't found it and would appreciate it if someone tells me how.

2. It's an exclusively competitive and solo activity due to the nature of the action. A particular firefly swarm can't accommodate two players opening their firefly jar simultaneously, usually resulting in one player getting a full jar while the other only get the leftovers if any. In addition, this coupled with problem 1 will cause the unfortunate player to waste a lot of energy for almost nothing.

3. Fireflies behavior are sometimes weird and unpredictable. They sometimes freeze in place or doesn't approach your jar for whatever reasons. I don't know if this is a problem at my end or with the game itself but it is annoying.

Posted 14 months ago by gamecharacter Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I tried this as an alternative income opportunity. IF you are lucky enough to be the obly one hunting fireflies it nearly competes with mining. That is until you figure the crazy energy drain and tool repairs.

    Competing with others for fireflies makes this a money sink.

    I have noticed when trying to fill a 6/7 jar, they don't always fill the jar on the second go. Trying a third time resulted in 0/7.

    I guess they were on to me at that point and knew better.....
    I haven't tried again since that. Too frustrating/annoying for too little
    Posted 14 months ago by Prophet ð.ð Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I thought if you open a filled jar the collected fireflies escaped and you have to start over again. From my observation, the escaped fireflies won't be attracted again to your jar, so yeah it's very frustrating if you don't get a full jar, it's all or nothing. Except maybe if you intend to make bricks which only requires 5 fireflies I guess.

    Imo, it's not just firefly catching, all activities exclusive to the bog areas give you too little reward gameplay wise.
    Posted 14 months ago by gamecharacter Subscriber! | Permalink
  • In beta, I remember it being possible to abort firefly catching partway through, but it doesn't seem to be possible anymore.  Is that an intentional change, or a bug?
    Posted 14 months ago by Fnibbit Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think I'm only gonna catch fireflies if and when plain crystals can be upgraded. until then, it's just not worth it.

    Couldn't we learn firefly coaxing as a skill, or be able to make a firefly aphrodisiac powder or something?
    Posted 14 months ago by Epilady Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I try not to catch fireflies unless there appears to be a lot in the swarm that I'm trying to nab from.  If I fail, that is, get less than 7/7, I move on to another swarm.  I think the challenge of it makes it more fun.  So many aspects of this game are guaranteed or easy, I like that this one is a little more challenging.  
    Posted 14 months ago by Reba Subscriber! | Permalink
  • No problems here.  I have my own personal firefly swarm at home.  :D
    Posted 14 months ago by Warrender Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I like it that catching fireflies is a challenge. The fewer people that do it, the more are left for me :)

    Also: when they're totally stuck in place, it's probably a bug (har har!) & should be reported.
    Posted 14 months ago by Aleph Zero Subscriber! | Permalink
  • don't open a jar near someone else! 

    also, i always count to make sure there are 7 before i even open a jar. This way i've caught a full jar from sometimes as low as 5-10 energy. 
    Posted 14 months ago by binro Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's a tricky balance doing the firefly game.

    One strategy I use is taking multiple jars. When I approach a new swarm, I could how many fireflies are at that location. If the amount is over 7, I'll scan my jars to see if there's an incomplete jar that can be used with the excess fireflies to make a second jar. I'll open that jar first, release those flies, hopefully grabbing a full one in the process, then wait a little bit, and open the second jar when it looks like all the flies are good and settled, hopefully nabbing a second jar in the process. Doesn't hurt to fill up a jar from a less than empty swarm if you know you might use it at the next swarm.

    I love firefly hunting, I do wish point #3 would get addressed though, as there is nothing more frustrating than bugged bugs. I have reported it in the past, so if you notice that there are bugged flies, fill out a bug report!
    Posted 14 months ago by Zu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I take a whole large bag full of jars.  Any jar that I get home with that has less than seven in goes for blockmaking where ffs from any jar can be used.  I can't believe how much less energy I am burning up catching ff's than I was mining.  Its a much more laid back and lower income passtime of course. 
    Posted 14 months ago by Parrow Gnolle Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When I was making crystals I took all my crystalmaking stuff along with me in addition to my firefly jar, so I wouldn't have to try the multiple-jar strategy. Then I realized that crystals were useless, so now my jar is waiting in my house for a time when it becomes interesting again.

    There are at least two places in Chakra Phool where you can catch fireflies you can't see. In both cases you have to climb up to the very top of the screen somehow - high up enough that you can't see your own head - and open your jar and, poof, seven fireflies instantly.
    Posted 14 months ago by Columbina Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Aren't crystals good for donating to shrines? If not, can you tell me why? Thanks! I was looking at this as a potential shrine-fodder production strategy.
    Posted 14 months ago by Lilith Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Crystals are useful for selling and donating. They are worth alot.
    Posted 14 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I solved my incomplete jar problem (I haven't learned blockmaking yet) by selling the jar to the tool vendor. He bought my 6/7 jar for 260c, enough to buy another jar and put 60c in my pocket. I carry 3 jars around and the crystalizer and make crystals whenever I get a full jar.
    Posted 14 months ago by GreyGoose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Since I can make blocks, crystals and fuel, I go through the swamps with several jars.  I fill all of them up first.  Then when I find the next swarm, I make a crystal and capture the flies in the now empty jar.  If I end up with partial jars, I take them and all the jellisac I've collected to the communal machine room and make blocks and bricks and fuel (please refuel the machines you use).  I haven't calculated out any efficiency measures, but so far this has worked really well, and it feels less repetitive/boring than mining often does.
    Posted 14 months ago by KhaKhonsu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • But unless you filled almost all your slots with jars you will have to go back and forth to the communal machine room to make bricks unless of course you have your own private machine (or willing to teleport often to the room). It's fine I guess if making bricks is only a side interest but for people who want to focus on it, it's quite tedious.

    Edit: And fuel doesn't requires fireflies btw.
    Posted 14 months ago by gamecharacter Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I made some suggestions about Firefly management here: Firefly Consolidation & Cocktail Buff 
    Posted 14 months ago by Fluxan Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've had good luck reopening partially filled firefly jars to fill them further.  If I find a swarm of 5 fireflies and open a 5/7 jar, I'll usually end up with a full 7/7 jar.  All the fireflies in the jar do escape initially, but many if not all go back in the jar.
    Posted 14 months ago by echan star Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There seem to be a lot of problems with the firefly mechanic.  There is a swarm of over 20 fireflies here, and no one is able to catch any of them.  I think escaped ones are visible on the screen, but aren't able to actually be caught again.  It seems like the only way to explain what's happening here to a very frustrated group of people.
    Posted 14 months ago by Lukastouticus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Heres the deal with catching fireflies there is a trick to getting a full bottle but it does take time and can be annoying but will work.
    1). Bog homes are by far the easeit way to get a full bottle
    2). go during off hours surprisingly enough no to many glitches stay in the bog. I go out all the time and grab fireflies on off hours.
    3). (the tricky one) if your desperate get a few bottles catch what you can then release them 2 bottles at a time in a neutral area. Wait a lil while (30secs should do) and collect them all in one bottle. 
    Posted 14 months ago by Master E Subscriber! | Permalink
  • i like that catching fireflies isnt easy as well. everything else in this game is so simple. i like that this takes a little bit of skill and luck and timing. it took me awhile to figure them out. i still fail a lot and waste a lot of energy, but i don't mind. makes it more fun when i catch the darn critters. :)
    Posted 14 months ago by mileena Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I can find no fireflies lately D:
    Posted 14 months ago by Mandy.23 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yes, lately with the requirement for fireflies for the new carved pumpkins, it has made them a more valuable commodity...however, the swarms are massively depleted lately.  Is there any way for the swarms to regenerate a bit faster (like was changed for the barnies and the peat bogs)?  I went around the swamps in Chakra Phool yesterday just looking to fill two jars and quit after a couple hours and only getting one jar filled.  Most swarms I saw during that time only had 4 or less fireflies, and like others, I don't try for a swarm any more unless I can see 7.  The only good thing was that I was hunting ghosts also, else I would have been depressed that this previously challenging yet fun activity was now a drudgery.  There needs to be some resource balancing WRT the fireflies...please!!
    Posted 14 months ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink