Topic

Why is mining different from other harvesting?

Why is mining virtually unlimited, while tree harvesting/nibbling/milking/squeezing are capped?  Mining doesn't use that much energy (admittedly, the resulting grinding does), so this doesn't even put a sort of hidden cap on it (like, say, singing to butterflies, which costs an absurd amount of energy for something that seems way easier and more fun than milking a butterfly).

I don't have any strong feeling about whether it should or should not be this way.  Just curious about the design choice.  Do we need boatloads of ore floating around the game?  Should I be stocking up my alchemical kit with a billion of everything?

Posted 19 months ago by larky lion Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I think it is a mental/visual thing mostly. Butterflies, pigs, trees don't "disappear" when used up. A rock is. Yes, it regenerates relatively quickly. But you can't mine what is not there. Tree and the like still hang around. I would guess they chose to just make it a "game day" limit for simplicity.

    Also, players have some control over how many trees and pigs there are in the world. We have no control over rocks. So if we feel like we need more beans, we plant more bean trees (this appears to be exactly what happened during the last test).
    Posted 19 months ago by Lord Bacon-o Subscriber! | Permalink
  • For harvesting, although you cannot immediately harvest repeatedly from the same tree, you can come back later and harvest again. So unlike sitting and mining in one spot, for harvesting you can make a circuit of several streets. By the time you return to your starting point, you're able to harvest from that tree again. (and don't forget to pet and water).
    The only tree that limits you now is a Paper Tree, each of which can only be harvested once per game day.

    As for ore, when you get into mixtures using higher Alchemy skills, you'll find you need a huge amount of various elements in order to make all the chemicals required.
    Posted 19 months ago by Merek Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Merek, are you sure?  (Or maybe this is really new?)  I think I can only harvest each tree twice per game day.  (I assumed that some skill bumped me up to twice a day from my previous once a day, but now I can't figure out what skill that might be.)  Perhaps your circuits are so long that you're into the next game day before you return?
    Posted 19 months ago by larky lion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think you're correct Larky - at most you can harvest from trees twice in a game day.

     I think that perhaps mining is self limiting since it uses up a fair amount of energy even at the higher levels. 
    Posted 19 months ago by Wren Bramble Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hmm... You might be right about that larky. I travel on the same streets a lot, but I suppose it could be on a different game day.  I'll have to try it during the next session.  I was thinking it worked the same as barnacles (they grow back).
    Posted 19 months ago by Merek Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Trees can be harvested only 2 times a game day, as far as I am aware. I've never been able to do more, and I think it mentioned it somewhere that I read.
    Posted 19 months ago by Little Miss Giggles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Mining also uses a fair bit of real time - harvesting is almost free in terms of seconds, you can almost do it while walking past a tree/chicken/pig, while mining takes a while. This is sufficient disincentive for me, at least.
    Posted 19 months ago by Spong Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It says within the Gardening I skill that after you learn it you can harvest a max of 2 times a game day. Prior to that, you can only do it once a day. Source!
    Posted 19 months ago by That Kid Tyler Subscriber! | Permalink