Topic

Is digging seriously the best way to get loam?

I mean, maybe my Soil Appreciation levels aren't high enough, but I feel like I get loam more frequently from tending weedy plots than I do from digging.. though I haven't really taken the time to do the math.

Is it one of those things that tends to pop up a lot when doing other tasks? I feel like I have a really hard time getting much loam at all, and I realize it's meant to be rare, but it feels REALLY rare, at times.

Posted 4 months ago by Mahkia Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • It used to be really common, especially with higher levels of SA, but the earth/loam balance was tweaked recently. I've had a hard time getting much of it since the rebalancing, either -- I probably still get about half my loam from tending plots, even with all the SA skills.
    Posted 4 months ago by Tathak Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It seems to be really hard to come by these days.
    Posted 4 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The demand for loam is much lower however
    Posted 4 months ago by Noenell Subscriber! | Permalink
  • come over to my street its full of dirt piles i dig every pile every time i log on and i have an endless supply of loam as i have 5 digs per pile per day and usually at least one of those digs gets a loam
    but i guess it all depends on what upgrades you have
    Posted 4 months ago by Richelle Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I was making 700 urth blocks for my forthcoming tower, so dug like a madglitch. My leftovers: 1000+ lumps of earth and about 20 loam.
    Posted 4 months ago by Yendor Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I have the same problem. 1000 lumps of earth, and four loam.
    Posted 4 months ago by Avnas Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't know if it was tweaked as well, but I had loam on hand from gardening, I think.
    Posted 4 months ago by gimmegames Subscriber! | Permalink
  • loam, loam on the range

    where the deer and the cantelope prey...
    Posted 4 months ago by ☣ elf ☣ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Loam is supposed be rare. From a personal player view, I'd like more loam. But from an indifferent staff view, I know this way is more fair.

    Loam can also be found as a drop from herb gardening, and patch tending (?) as well, I believe. Not reliable source though.
    Posted 4 months ago by Palindrome Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Also try digging or help dig with other players. This will increase your chances of loam.
    Posted 4 months ago by Muncey Mango Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Since the "rebalancing," I can't get nearly enough loam either.  Even with all the applicable upgrades.

    I mean, I guess they fixed the way-too-much-loam problem we were having a few weeks back, but I think maybe they did it a little too well.

    More loam, please.
    Posted 4 months ago by E D D I E Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Maybe since loam is a recipe ingredient there could be another source of it rather than drops.
    Posted 4 months ago by diaveborn ♥ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If you go to El Buzzard's tower, the Loam Depot, you can find loam aplenty!
    Posted 4 months ago by glassy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Either that tweaked it, or we have been having bad luck.  After digging for about 20 mins, I got around 250 dirt and 44 loam.  That is pretty good, IMO.

    I tested more, 18 piles of dirt gave me 40 loam.  Then another 18 piles of dirt gave me 44 loam. It was pretty consistent, for every 18 piles of dirt, I dug 5 times and would end up with between 40-44 loam. Not bad. :)  I would suggest the extreme dirt routes.
    Posted 4 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The one saving grace of the excess Earth is the ability to donate it - the 250 Earth w/ EHSP is 750 favor.

    The downside here is you have to be harvesting over time to collect enough loam - ther is pretty much no way to scrounge enough up for a spot need.
    Posted 4 months ago by Sturminator i` Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think they need to adjust it closer to what it used to be.  They ratio swung way too far in the other direction after this adjustment.
    Posted 4 months ago by Serra Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "I have way too much loam"

    TS changes it.

    "I don't have enough loam"

    Really, guys? 
    Posted 4 months ago by Papa Legba Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Gardening.  I get a ton of loam from garden and herb plots - even watering or just hoeing them.  
    Posted 4 months ago by Synnia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Really, guys?

    Yes, really.  I mean, sure, it's not the end of the world, but, like, actually balancing earth and loam can't be that hard, can it?  Urth Blocks require a 5:2 ratio of earth and loam; that's a pretty clear target to aim for.

    After doing a bunch of digging, I had enough to make 26 blocks. Leftovers: 227 lumps of earth.  To balance that out, I'd need 91 more loam.  That's a lot of gardening!
    Posted 4 months ago by E D D I E Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I was frustrated by the poor loam/earth ratio too, then discovered that I can contribute extra earth to replenish resources on street projects, which helps redistribute the extras.  I just wish there was a way to find all the available projects easy!  Wouldn't it be nice to share all that extra earth with Glitchen who need to rebuild gardens and barnacle pods, etc.? :)
    Posted 4 months ago by Gupfee Subscriber! | Permalink
  • (My hope?) Is that TS know how much loam and earth folks have stashed, and it trying to get folks to part with their massive loam hoards. Of course, such a plan may backfire if folks start to hoard *more* loam as a guard against a perceived loam shortage!
    Posted 4 months ago by Sturminator i` Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We had way, way wayyyyyyyy too much loam. It's not "indifferent staff perspective", it's that they totally did care, and adjusted it. If you're not careful, maybe they'll just split it into two damn resources!
    Posted 4 months ago by Stuv Subscriber! | Permalink