Topic

Optimal Mining Patterns

Here's a nice set of data I put into an Excel Spreadsheet (not in Google Docs yet, sorry) on what the optimal mining patterns currently are within Mining II. Personally, I think it needs to change though and will make recommendations after:

GOOGLE DOC SPREADSHEET

You crushed 50 Chunks of Sparkly (+60 xp, -200 energy).
250 Red Elements,
50 Green Elements,
200 Blue Elements,
300 Shiny Elements.

You crushed 50 Chunks of Dullite (+60 xp, -200 energy).
250 Red Elements,
400 Green Elements.

You crushed 50 Chunks of Beryl (+60 xp, -200 energy).
1000 Red Elements,
100 Green Elements,
200 Blue Elements.

Every 50 chunks results in 1/3 the use of a Grinder (66/100) at level 1. So, here's what I do to get the most of everything:

5 Beryl "Baby Blue" Rocks (250 chunks):
5000 Red Elements
500 Green Elements
1000 Blue Elements

<Go donate/sell all 5000 Red>

10 sparkly rocks (500 chunks):
2500 Red Elements
500 Green Elements
2000 Blue Elements
3000 Shiny Elements

10 Dullite "White" Rocks (500 chunks):
2500 Red Elements
4000 Green Elements
==============

TOTAL:
5000 Red Elements
5000 Green
3000 Blue
3000 Shiny

Knowing what each gives has helped a lot in knowing what and how much I need to keep my pouches full. Hope this helps you too!

NOTE: The precise way to obtain optimal amounts can vary based on donations and skill levels. I encourage others to contribute to this so we can make it easier for all levels.

Suggestions:
- Make sparky rocks harder by making them take longer to mine or giving less quantity per attempt (For example, make a sparky rock require say 15 "hits" instead of just 10).
- Make rocks drain more or less than -10 energy per attempt (For example, have Beryl be the softest and only drain say -5 energy while Dullite drain -15 energy and Sparky Drain -10 energy)
- Make rock mining reduce Mood... (-2 mood) it is tiring and monotonous to mine rocks after all.
- Make the drop rate 1:66 instead of 1:13 (assuming this is being worked on though for final release)

Posted 16 months ago by c0mad0r Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I love it!  Not sure I need to do this optimally, but I love having a better sense of how many of each element I can get.

    Thanks!
    Posted 16 months ago by noqualia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I generally adjust my mining efforts to get the specific ratio of elements that I need. This generally means that I only need Dullite and Sparkly since the most profitable powder is Fertilidust Lite. I still pick up Beryl if it's in my path and it also provides the elements I need, though in the wrong ratios.

    Here's my Powder Profit spreadsheet: http://bit.ly/powderprofit
    Posted 16 months ago by Skwid Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Skwid: that's a neat spreadsheet; lots of good info in there.

    Interestingly, Fertilidust Lite is the ONLY powder that earns you more than just mining sparkly rocks and selling them directly.  Fertilidust Lite earns you 8.13 currants/chunk vs. sparkly's 8 currants/chunk.  All the other powders are below 8.
    Posted 16 months ago by Sheepalot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Actually, according to what my spreadsheet says, crafting powders is generally profitable over selling the ore itself with the exception of Sparkly, Mild Fecundity, and Sneezing Powder, which are all VERY unprofitable. In the case of Sneezing Powder selling the chunks will net you 4.48 currants per chunk more than if you crafted it into Sneezing Powder. This assumes of course that you are not spending a ton crafting the powders. I generally do this near the end of the day while under the influence of no-no. Pro Tip: You can shake milk, compress butter, and age cheese while you are doing other things (like crafting powder), especially great for effective use of your no-no.

    I've found that making fertilidust lite and no-no powder generally keeps my compound counts stable (except red, which is so prevalent it might as well be removed from the game).
    Posted 16 months ago by Skwid Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Skwid

    Making a group of people sneeze during the EOTW party is hysterically entertaining! I say it's worth every penny! 
    Posted 16 months ago by c0mad0r Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ugh, entertaining to the powder-er only >.<
    Posted 16 months ago by Cupcake Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for the list c0mad0r

    Thanks for the spreadsheet Skwid!  :D
    Posted 16 months ago by CoffeeSnob Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The reason why your calculation shows powders give better profit than raw materials is that they include expensive sparkly, modest beryl, and cheap dullite.  If you compare mining a bunch of different rocks, grinding them, making powders, and then selling them to just mining only sparkly rocks, then Fertilidust Lite is the only one that nets you more than sparkly's 8 currants/rock.  

    If you are after pure profit and have a large source of sparklies to mine, the optimal way to make money is mine sparkly and sell it raw.  That's only really possible if you manage to hit Ajaya Bliss in the dead of night, though.
    Posted 16 months ago by Sheepalot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Updated this with a Google Doc here:

    docs.google.com/spreadsheet...

    Enjoy!
    Posted 16 months ago by c0mad0r Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is making my head spin. Think I'll stick to cooking.
    Posted 16 months ago by KitkatCat Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Skwid, looks like you aren't accounting for energy costs or conversion time costs. are you?

    need to factor in at least the cost of one flaming humbaba per 300 chunks, if not the total energy cost of refining.
    Posted 16 months ago by striatic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I like the drop rate how it is now...sometimes I get nothing, other times I get a ton of stuff. It evens out.
    Posted 16 months ago by Saraphim Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Skwid, Thanks! Sometimes things are right in front of your little glitch nose and it doesn't even occur to you. Sell the red elements - can I say it - Duh!!! Way better than just letting them be destroyed. So thanks for that and the other information as well.
    Posted 16 months ago by Couper Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Indeed Striatic, except that I use the much cheaper no-no powder to do my mass conversions, towards the end of the day.

    @Sheepalot: I hadn't considered the opportunity cost of farming chunks other than sparkly. On the other hand, there is only one location where farming only sparkly is possible, and competition there is fierce. If there are 3 or more people there you spend a significant amount of time waiting for respawns, whereas farming in another location I can grind constantly without waiting.
    Posted 16 months ago by Skwid Subscriber! | Permalink
  • In terms of pure profit, I've found that the most effective thing to do is simply run around and mine beryl/sparkly whenever it comes up and just sell the chunks. It's not more effective in raw profit, but it's more effective in profit over time. While something like selling fertilidust lite nets you greater profit per chunk, you're only getting something like an extra 2800 currants per every 2460 chunks, and that's not factoring in energy costs or grinding time or the extra drops obtained in the time it would take you to make 100 fertilidust lites. Beryl is so abundant and the energy costs of mining so straightforward that you can almost mine nonstop if you just run around and alternate between beryl/sparkly.

    In fact, I even find this superior to Ajaya Bliss, because in Ajaya there's downtime between rocks and everyone tends to swarm a rock like flies, which after more than 3-4 people are in the room severely reduces its edge over combined beryl/sparkly mining.
    Posted 16 months ago by The Crepeist Subscriber! | Permalink