Crops dying

[CrashJohnny]

This crop dying update is truly frustrating and honestly unnecessary! Wheat, in particular, dies way too quickly, and you end up losing all your seeds in the process. If you plant your crops and then go off to explore or gather resources, on the way back, your crops will be dead. I maintain small farms on every island, mostly for aesthetics, and now they have all turned into straw. I really dislike it. This should be something that only happens in hard mode or something like that.

[Valens Rahl]

The only advise I have is to only have one or two main farming areas. Especially for the more rare resources. Spend the seeds on some decoration if you want. Though if you spread farms out too far then you will always be going back and forth.

Thus finding that you are having your crops die. As it is I believe it takes 5 days until the crops die out. Perhaps the time duration is lower for some. Though I'm not sure.

If you keep your main farms localized in the same area then you'd have the seeds available for decoration. Just my two cents.

I'll even say that it's mainly you're own fault. Since you've done this yourself and let it continue. Thinking it was the games or Dev's fault for introducing a mechanic that does make sense. You've made numerous farms without thinking through what you can do to prevent it.

I'm not attacking you or saying anything harsh. There are ways to prevent the issue you are finding yourself in. Be sure to have a solid way of gaining before you start spending. Now that you know there is a time duration. It's up too you to work things out.

[weirdee]

I know that your reply was intended to be even handed, but I'm pretty sure if he had a file where all of his crops were spread out on every island, that I don't think he would have been able to get to every single one in five days.

Considering how deep the cave systems go in this game now, I'd even argue that it's weird that crops can die now because you can literally get lost in there for more than five days and in fact it would be kind of fun to do that once the game irons out its extreme balancing issues.

Given how far the islands go in the game in general, unless there was a fast travel system I don't think it's realistically sustainable to expect players to sail all the way back to their home island every single time.

[Valens Rahl]

As far as I've gone or wanted to populate other islands / cave systems. I personally didn't think the map was that large. I was actually surprised at how fast you can make it to the borders.

For the cave system I have ran into areas without any way of exiting. Though again if you just planted then you should know you need to be back in a certain time. I'm not saying any ones opinion on the matter is wrong or anything.

It's just that if you do in-fact get side tracked or lost then there's nothing to do but live with the results. I'm not saying this system is perfect or that this shouldn't be looked into further; which I'm sure a lot of things will continually be tweaked.

It's just if your over-doing what the game as it is now can allow. Then, yeah I would see it pushing back. I have no idea on the amount of farms people are attempting to push. Though if anyone is hitting any push-back from the game, such as crops dying. Then there is limit to which you can sustain crops.

If people were used to how it was before then yeah, I could see a lot of aggravation. Since the old way of farming isn't allowed or remotely the same. So perhaps now there are theoretical limits.

I don't have any clue on any ones set-up. As where I am currently I have no real need for large plantations. I've got my source farms and that's all I've got. Personally I don't tend to spread myself too thin. Not saying that's what any one is doing, or that the game is forcing that now.

I offered some advice or opinions of my own. From what I've experienced thus far. I am sure we will see some changes. Though I wonder if either of you are using an automatic watering system. From my understanding that would prevent this sort of thing from happening.

Unless the location of the farms is not in an ideal location near a body of water. I personally have not bothered with setting something like that up. So perhaps there is a mechanic that I'm not aware of.

[Josef Madre]

It was mentioned briefly in one of the other comments, but here is info straight from the Sep. 10th patch notes: "Crops now die after not watered for 5 days, dead crops can be harvested for fibers".

[CrashJohnny]

You mentioned that crops not watered for five days would die, but here is the problem: my crops were under automated watering systems. Is it a bug, then? Because I understand that the game mechanics will change, and eventually, we will be pulled out of our old comfort zone. I also understand that plants dying when not watered makes perfect sense. However, watered plants are dying too.

Regarding the idea of creating farms spread across the map, isn't that the whole point of the game? I mean, when you finish exploring all the caves and defeating all the bosses, you naturally want to construct various buildings and structures, along with large farms featuring different crops in various biomes of the game. I know there will be a creative mode or something similar soon, but for me, the fun of this game was working to gather the resources and gradually expanding across the entire map. It provides you with a sense of the value of your work and the time invested. If the farms die, it somewhat takes away the enjoyment of creating them once you no longer need them just for resources anymore.

[Josef Madre]

Originally posted by CrashJohnny:

You mentioned that crops not watered for five days would die, but here is the problem: my crops were under automated watering systems. Is it a bug, then? Because I understand that the game mechanics will change, and eventually, we will be pulled out of our old comfort zone. I also understand that plants dying when not watered makes perfect sense. However, watered plants are dying too.

Regarding the idea of creating farms spread across the map, isn't that the whole point of the game? I mean, when you finish exploring all the caves and defeating all the bosses, you naturally want to construct various buildings and structures, along with large farms featuring different crops in various biomes of the game. I know there will be a creative mode or something similar soon, but for me, the fun of this game was working to gather the resources and gradually expanding across the entire map. It provides you with a sense of the value of your work and the time invested. If the farms die, it somewhat takes away the enjoyment of creating them once you no longer need them just for resources anymore.

If they’re watered, I’d assume it’s a bug.

[Valens Rahl]

I definitely understand your predicament. I was just offering some general advise. As I said before I haven't bothered getting the automatic watering systems unlocked. So I would say yes, that it is a bug. Since again i said I wasn't aware of any mechanics associated with it.

Once things get ironed out with issues I'm sure the automatic watering systems will do what they say they do. Though yeah until then and further improvements, I would say it's best not to advance further than what the game can support. As of now things will need to be found and worked out.

You're idea of what the game wants to be is correct: A game where you can go an build wherever you want. Just as the title screen shows. + more. Though until then it's very much a touch and go sort of thing. The more we end up finding the better it will be in the future.

So having these types of issue show themselves is actually very good in a weird sort of way. We do want to push the games limits though without attaching our hearts to it, as much. All of this time should be dedicated to finding and resolving issues we as the EA players are able to find.

At least in my point of view; early stages of games are meant more for bug finding, pushing the game to find those bugs, not pouring your heart into the game aspect. More so pouring it into finding and helping discuss these sorts of issues.

I am 100% with you in wanting to sit back and play the game for what it is and could be. Though as you have stated yourself, you understand that it's in Early Access. All I'm saying is to look at more as a testing ground. Rather than what you may expect from it.

Nothing wrong with voicing your concerns about it at all. I am definitely not coming down on you at all. Just having a discussion is all. It's all very good that people are doing so. The developers are very in-tune with what is going on, I would bet on that.

Though yeah, just take it a bit slower and enjoy what the game can do for you now. Perhaps it can't handle as much as you would like or what you could have done in the past. Though as things have been going this game definitely has a bright future.

All in all I enjoy being in these discussions. What we all feel is warranted since it's how we personally feel towards the game. If I said anything that you find offensive then I do apologize.

[Valens Rahl]

I'd also like to point out the fact that if you plan on going out to adventure then don't plant any crops. Hold off until you get back. If not then all of that work you did prior will then be put to waste.

For now, with perhaps the watering system being bugged we aren't able to have multiple far flung farms. Unless you are prepared to sit back and chill until harvest. Then go out and do some exploring.

That's the best I can come up with to help remedy some of the issue.

[Lord Ganjanoof]

Upping this thread as I also faced dead crops in an water-automated farm.
If it's a bug it has to be fixed I guess.

[vikpr]

Check that your farm plots are in range of the water tower and that they don't exceed the amount that the tower supports, I've had a plot or two not being watered because they were too far away. If you can see a blue line coming into the plot from the tower and it's not being watered then it's a bug.

[Lord Ganjanoof]

Thanks but this is not the problem. They are in range and always dark, in two different farms (islands).
I planted again to check whether this happens one more time.

[Lord Ganjanoof]

... still dying. What a shame.

[Rallianto]

+1
Game went from a cosy chill farming game on the surface, with only danger in the dungeons. But now you have stress on the surface world too, crops will die, lightning will strike and kill you (every time it rains). Town split into 3 islands also just annoying. The generated dungeons feel a lot generated, sometimes with brigdes leading to nothing etc.

[wesnef]

Originally posted by Valens Rahl:

I'd also like to point out the fact that if you plan on going out to adventure then don't plant any crops.

Which is basically the opposite of previous gameplay. I just kept crops planted *always*, and running off to explore was how I spent the time waiting for them to grow. Just standing around on the surface and only planting crops when you can stand there and watch them, seems like a massive waste of time.

[RCLAC-14]

Completely agree with you all. Disliking the plants dying, I liked them for decoration purposes