New Release -- October 20th, 2009
 

Hi,

We just released a new version of FarmTown. (As usual, you will get the new version when going to FarmTown the next time).

The new release contains support for 5 different tools:

1. Small Harvester - Harvest 2 fields at a time
2. Small Seeder - Plant seeds on 2 fields at a time
3. Big Harvester - Harvest 4 fields at a time
4. Big Seeder - Plant seeds on 4 fields at a time
5. Plowing Tractor - Solar Powered - Plow 4 fields at a time

All the tools works in a similar way, you just need to click on the tool and select the first option which could be Harvest, Plant Seeds or Plow depending on the tool. Alternatively, some of the tools can also be activated by clicking on the appropiate icon on the main tool window at the bottom of the screen.

The Plowing Tractor doesn't require fuel to operate so you can use it as much as you want without any limitations. The others require fuel to operate, these are the rules for the fuel:

1. To get fuel you need to go to the fuel station by clicking on the red fuel tank on the top-left of the screen or on the map icon
2. You can refuel once per day
3. The amout of fuel gallons you receive each day depends on these factors:

10 Gallons for each level you have accomplished
10 Gallons for each neighbour you have
10 Gallons for each friend you help each day
10 Gallons for each active neighbour in the last 24h
100 Gallons for each fuel tank you receive from your friends

If you are having trouble, remember to link your account.

Thanks.

Moderator Edit: We have an established thread in the help and support section where we will attempt to answer any questions that you have about these new features. http://slashkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238278 Mods will not be answering questions posted in this thread from the developers.

THE NEW FARM TOOLS

Where are the new tools?
The tools are all found under the Tools tab on the store page.

How do I get the new tools?
The tools are all available for purchase with farm coins.

What do the tools do?
All tools work for you on your own farm. They cannot be used by hired help.

• Plowing Tractor - Solar Powered: Gas free plowing tool that allows to plow up to 4 fields at a time - no matter how many neighbors you have!
• Small Harvester: Harvesting tool that allows you to harvest up to 2 crops at a time. Each field consumes 1 unit of gas.
• Big Harvester: Harvesting tool that allows you to harvest up to 4 crops at a time. Each field consumes 1 unit of gas.
• Small Seeder: Seeding tool that allows you to seed up to 2 fields at a time. Each field consumes 1 unit of gas.
• Big Seeder: Seeding tool that allows you to seed up to 4 fields at a time. Each field consumes 1 unit of gas.

How do I get fuel?
Click on the map then click on fuel station or click on the fuel can under your coins and farm cash displays. You earn fuel in the following ways:

• Your Game Level: Your level X10
• Neighbours: Number of neighbors you have X10 also.
• Friends helped: Number of friends that helped you that day X10
• Active Neighbours: Number of neighbors you have that were active that day X10
• Fuel From Friend: Gift of fuel tank

Once you accept a fuel can as a gift from your facebook/myspace page, it will appear in your gift box AND you will see credit for it under the tank (pictured below). Clicking on it from your gift box will not take it out of the gift box, but will bring you to your "gas stattion/tank" to show you how much fuel you have available for your next refueling. The gas can will remain in your gift box until the next time you refuel. When you refuel the credit will transfer from your "gas station/tank" up to the fuel counter under your farmtown cash and the fuel can will disappear from your gift box.

When you click on the fuel station on the map, the fuel icon in the top left corner of your screen, or a fuel can in your gift box, you will be shown how much fuel you have earned and available for the day. You have to click on the refuel button to fuel your machinery. You can only refuel when it tells you that you can and any fuel already showing in the upper left corner of your screen will be lost. The total from your fueling station/tank will replace (not add to) the amount of fuel you have to use.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...y58/FTfuel.jpg


Various comments

• Once you purchase the Tractor, your plowing tool gains the X4 option, without the need for neighbors.
• Once you purchase the Harvesters, your harvesting tool gains the X2 and/or X4 options (depending which one you bought). If you have only the Big Harvester, you cannot use the X2 harvest option.
• Once you purchase the Seeders, you need to click on them to open a special store to select the seeds. Using the regular store will trigger the X1 regular seeding tool.
• All tools rotate.
• Charges for plowing using the equipment are the same as if you were plowing yourself without the equipment. You do not save the money per plot that you save when you hire someone else.
• The amount you get for each crop when using the equipment is the same as if you harvested it yourself without the equipment. You do not get the extra money per crop that you get when you hire someone to harvest for you.
• If you have your fields plowed up against each other with no space between them, you must have your preferences set so that there is a check mark next to "Remove Spaces Between Fields" before selecting the seeder or harvester.
• If you have your fields plowed with space between them, you must have your preferences set so that there is NO check mark next to "Remove Spaces Between Fields" before selecting the seeder or harvester.

Prices and other info

• Plowing Tractor - Solar Powered: Cost 60,000 coins Give 601 XP Sell for 1800 coins
• Small Harvester: Cost 15,000 coins Give 153 XP Sell for 450 coins
• Big Harvester: Cost 30,000 coins Give 302 XP Sell for 900 coins
• Small Seeder: Cost 20,000 coins Give 203 XP Sell for 600 coins
• Big Seeder: Cost 40,000 coins Give 402 XP Sell for 1200 coins

There are questions regarding the exact meaning of "Friends Helped", we will be contacting the developers to get the final answer and will post that answer here in this thread.

We will also be reporting the fact that some of you are receiving a message that you do not have fuel even after you have gone to the fuel station and fueled up.

Some of you have reported that you are not able to use the fuel you have been given as gifts. We will be reporting that along with the items above.

**Please note that losing fuel you already had showing when you refuel, is NOT a glitch. Refueling REPLACES the amount of fuel you have for use in the upper left corner with the amount showing available in your fuel station. It does NOT add the two together.

Do these work on other people's farms when you're hired to harvest?

Peace,

Chip

Chip,

no it doesnt

Awesome thanks!

Wow, what's the point, then? Unless they're going to greatly expand the farm size, I see no need for the harvesters.

Peace,

Chip

:confused:Question: Are these for use on our own farms or can they be used when hired for work on other farms??? A large percentage doesn't harvests/plows their own farms these days!!!

same here, not to sound ungrateful but i would want more crops and levels and land before machines

Thanks for the tools. I bought a small seeder already. I'll try it out tomorrow.

How come it appears the large machines are charging $3 to purchase yet this is not showed when you're buying?

Just bought a big seeder,,,got pineapples in, so a few days before I can use it,,no fuel though,,so gives me time to save the fuel up,,roll on I cant wait to use it. Not going to bother about the other 2,,still a few neighbours close to 34 :D

Alright!!!!
way to go...love the constant upgrades.

Thank you so much Raul ! I bought the big seeder, big harvester and plower...I like how the fuel works as well!

Good question someone had about using them on other farms...will that be possible?

If you click the little red fuel can, it takes you the gas station and you get fueled up based on the level you are on, active neighbours, friends helped, neighbours, and fuel from friends - I got 640 in fuel, which I will use to do my pineapples in a few days.

A lovely update but I don't see the point as their is no land to park the harvesters, seeders etc. The first order of the day should be to expand the land or as I said before, I'm going a land grabbing spree :p

And what's this about charging $3?

So excited BUT.. bought the big seeder..went to the fuel station and it says I have 750 g. but it dont transfer it to the little icon on my screen..it still shows 0 so it will not let me use the seeder...says i am out of fuel....

sorry if this has already been answered

if you hire someone to harvest your farm, can they use your tractor to harvest?

if not, then do you get the same amount of money when harvesting with equipment than you would if you hired someone to harvest.

You can not use the equipment (Tools) when you are harvesting for someone else.

upgrades
 

When can we expect to be able to acquire more land and achieve ability to buy trees that are now locked

that's not what i'm asking. i'm asking can other people use it on your farm if you've hired them to harvest your crops?

if not...is there still a difference in how much you make if you hire someone to harvest and using the new equipment to harvest.

I bought the 3 big toys and luckily have a nice driveway for them. What I dont understand is why can I only use the new tools on my farm? Your basically encouraging those of us with the new toys to do our own farms now right?

Just curious in the difference in hiring thru the marketplace and doing it yourself. I love the friends I have made there so I am just wondering if this will cut it out all together eventually Hope not. I am level 34 and still enjoy going there to work.

I love the upgrades and that you listen to your players. I love love love farm town and have been addicted since last June. Since you like feedback I'll throw my two cents in, but remember that I'm not complaining, just an observation. I appreciate all the hard work you do to make this game so rockin!

I've been trying out the new seeders/harvesters today and I think I have the hang of it, but my farm is crammed packed, every available space is crops, or farm decorations, river, trees, flowers... I don't have any room to put the large machines. Any way to get the "machines" to work but not have them actually sitting on your farm? I kind of like the look of an old fashioned farm that could of been around a long time ago. The modern equipment sort of clashes with that type of theme. Maybe just have a little "decoration" type tractor for looks but it doesn't have to actually do anything, but the feature of multiple plows/plants/harvests is a cool idea, just not sure if it needs a machine attached to it. :) Thanks again for all you do.

Also, I thought that maybe if instead of increasing land size was to tricky (or might make things run too slow) maybe give us a second farm, starting over. Sort of like in fish world where you can have up to 15 tanks or whatever. You could have farm 1, then a tab for farm 2, etc. Just a thought. Keep up the good work

i am playing on myspace and i bought the big seeder i went to the fuel station and filled up but when i tried to plant with the seeder it says i have no fuel and the little icon on the top left is not showing any fuel either.


oops never mind i got it figured out.. but my question now is this really sucks for myspace as we still cant recieve our gifts so we wont be able to get free fuel gifted..

i like the new tools just to look at LOL i hope we can't ever use them on other farms harvesting and plowing now is so fast and it really brings out the worst in alot of greedy people letting them use the tools to do 2 and 4 fields at a time will be a reason for me to quit this..... i hate the aggravation of greedy people

Barbie, you have to click on the refuel button - worked for me anyway.

I think the big seeder is great thanks Raul - but now I need to rearrange my whole farm into groups of 4 fields!

FarmTown farm equipment
 

OK.....so you spend all your coinage to buy the farm equipment so you can harvest and plow and plant faster. What happens to your neighbors getting credit for working your farm? Can your neighbors use your equipment to harvest and plow your farm? Is everyone who buys farm equipment going to have to harvest and plow their own farm now to make buying the equipment cost effective? How do experience points and costs work?

Hi Raul, I purchased the big seeder but it doesn't show on my farm. The coins have been subtracted though. How can I get my seeder to show? I was hoping to use it the next time I planted. Thank you guys!!
LinleeSoo

Love that the tractors are John Deere Green. Thankfully I have a spot for the new toys.....and thankfully there's no pink tractors like in Farmville (seriously... WTF?!).

OK, so I bought the Seeder and Harvester (big ones) and I fueled up with 1460 fuel.....how much fuel is it per plot? Is it 1 gallon per plot?? TY!

I hope you Upgrade Level and Bigger farm Land after this :)

Realtor
 

Something is going on at the Realtor's office. No one can buy more land. Any idea if they're upgrading anyone?

Question about the new equipment
 

Can you use these on others farms? Just wanted to check before I purchase. :)

Just bought the solar powered tractor but do not know WHY? I had capability to plow 4 fields b/4 I bought it. What gives???

I can't get my solar powered plowing machine to do anything, just sits there.

Z

can other people use your equipment on your farm?

also, do you still make more money when you hire other people to harvest your farm? or do you make the same when you use the equipment

can't seem to get an answer to this question.

Can't wait to try the seeder out. I won't be buying the plow or harvester as the interactions from hiring/be hired are amongst my favorite parts of this game.

Yes, when you click on the plow symbol you could already plow 4 fields at a time. So why would anyone want to toss away coin unless its just for aesthetics? Not a complaint, just an observation. Just the large seeder would be my only purchase as I have others to harvest and make me more coin. Is there anyway you could create a link to ones own farm to use a purchased tractor elsewhere? Something like when you open your buddy list and you can send a note to them ... can another window be opened to use tools? (As long as there was a command line met that you were invited to harvest/plow)

I tried out the seeder today and it worked quite nicely. That seems to be the only tool to use unless somehow you can take one of the other tools to someone else's farm or they can use your tools.