Using Gift baskets as wisely as possible

[Zavvy]

hey guys, Ive reached the point in the game where I can reliably make aunt irma's gift baskets. They are substantially more expensive than platters or sandwiches but because of school and stuff (like emptying all those leftover mulled wine) gift baskets are handy..

I did some calculations to help myself out to get the most out of the baskets using fir wood log equivalents (fwle), I thought Id post it here for comments and perhaps serve as help to others

In fwle currency 1 Aunt Irma's Gift Basket is worth:

120 fish = 240 fwle, 60 bread = 840 fwle, 20 sausages = 320 fwle => 1400 fwle

From a fwle value perspective anything lower than the basket generating a 1400 fwle bonus is a net loss.

Here are a few of my buildings I made some calcs for to see what I get from 1 gift basket:

Coker (lvl 3):
cycle_t=3.75 [cycle time in min incl. travel]
cycle_p=3 [units produced per cycle]
cycle_h=60/cycle_t=16 [cycles/hour]
prod_h=cycle_p*cycle_h=3*16=48 [units/hour]
basket_bonus=prod_h*bonus_t=48*6= 288 coal, coal=4 fwle => 1152 fwle

Coal mines
cycle_t=2.3
cycle_p=1
cycle_h=26.1
prod_h=26.1
basket_bonus=26.1*6= 156 coal (1), 312 (2), 468 (3)

Stables (3):
cycle_t=6.75
cycle_p=3
cycle_h=8.9
prod_h=3*8.9=26.7
basket_bonus=26.7*6= 160 horses, horse=20 fwle => 3200 fwle

Iron mines
cycle_t=~7
cycle_p=1
cycle_h=60/7=8.57
prod_h=8.57
basket_bonus=8.57*6= 51 iron (1), 102 iron (2), 153 iron (3), iron=17 fwle => 867 fwle (1)

Steel weapsmith (2):
cycle_t=24.5
cycle_p=2
cycle_h=60/24.5=2.44
prod_h=4.89
basket_bonus=4.89*6= 29.3 steel swords, steel sword=546 fwle => 15997 fwle

Iron smelter (3)
cycle_t=12.75
cycle_p=3
cycle_h=4.7
prod_h=14.1
basket_bonus=14.1*6= 84 iron bars, iron bar=100 fwle => 8400 fwle

Steel smelter (3)
cycle_t=12,67
cycle_p=3
cycle_h=3.15
prod_h=9.5
basket_bonus=9.5*6= 56.8 steel bars, steel=233 fwle => 13234 fwle

Bronze smelter (3)
cycle_t=6.75
cycle_p=3
cycle_h=8.9
prod_h=26.7
basket_bonus= 160 bronze bars, bronze bar = 10 fwle => 1600 fwle

Tools (3)
cycle_t=7.5
cycle_p=3
cycle_h=8
prod_h=24
basket_bonus=24*6= 144 tools, tools = 14 fwle => 2016 fwle

Food:
Bakery (3)
cycle_t=4
cycle_p=3
cycle_h=15
prod_h=45
basket_bonus= 270 bread (net: +210 bread -120 fish -20 sausages), bread=14fwle => 3780(-840)= 2940 fwle

Butcher (2)
cycle_t=13.33
cycle_p=2
cycle_h=4.5
prod_h=9
basket_bonus=9*6=54 sausages (net +34 sausages -60 bread -120 fish), 81 sausages for lvl3

sausage=16 fwle => 544 fwle


So with this fwle stuff you get an amazing return on investment using the baskets on steel smelters and weaponsmiths and iron smelters.. I didnt check iron weaponsmith cuz I have none but Im guessing its great. The choking point is somewhere around bronze smelters (lvl 3) where you go +-0 on using your buffs, effectively just moving around your resources. What rly surprised me the most is how expensive the mines are.

Any thoughts?

[Seanery]

This is completely theoretical. Only true if we have an unlimited amount of building licenses.

[Zavvy]

This is completely theoretical. Only true if we have an unlimited amount of building licenses.

Im not sure what your point is? Ofc its theoretical?

[Dilbe]

I always see if buffing a building is worth it if it saves me more building slots with or without the buff. It changes over time how much slots are needed to produce buffs as i upgrade food producing buildings. Although i think you do the same with your calculations, i don't understand why you do it in such a roundabout way (-:

And after a while you have to buff bronze, iron and gold (and in a lesser extent marmor, but i dont need to do that yet) and anything using that to increase your production, because after a while the only way to increase them is with buffs (or tools, but you need buffs to increase that aswell, so you still need buffs)

[Zavvy]

I always see if buffing a building is worth it if it saves me more building slots with or without the buff. It changes over time how much slots are needed to produce buffs as i upgrade food producing buildings. Although i think you do the same with your calculations, i don't understand why you do it in such a roundabout way (-:

And after a while you have to buff bronze, iron and gold (and in a lesser extent marmor, but i dont need to do that yet) and anything using that to increase your production, because after a while the only way to increase them is with buffs (or tools, but you need buffs to increase that aswell, so you still need buffs)

I wouldnt rely on buffing to save building slots tho, it means if you cant logon your value chain will be borked... Id rather use buffs as a bonus to stock or speed up some stuff (like swords). If I ever run into a shortage I use buffs to cover it until I got a building that can gap.

Normally I wouldnt care about doing calcs like this, you dont need to do it to figure out that its worth more buffing the steel weaponsmith than a forester... but I got exams on monday and its a lot more fun doing something you arent supposed to do when you have to do something

I had a problem figuring out if it was worth buffing cokers or stables and I found out that stables actually nets me a lot more worth than cokers, I thought it would be the other way around.

[Dilbe]

I wouldnt rely on buffing to save building slots tho, it means if you cant logon your value chain will be borked... Id rather use buffs as a bonus to stock or speed up some stuff (like swords). If I ever run into a shortage I use buffs to cover it until I got a building that can gap.There is no use buffing a building in the middle of a chain, like an steel melter, if it's only to stock up items, because the steel won't be used faster (-:

Furthermore it's nice to know what nets you more of one resources, for instance bread, with the same number of buildings if you build food buildings for buffs on the bakery, or a whole new chain to support a new bakery.

[Zavvy]

There is no use buffing a building in the middle of a chain, like an steel melter, if it's only to stock up items, because the steel won't be used faster (-:

Furthermore it's nice to know what nets you more of one resources, for instance bread, with the same number of buildings if you build food buildings for buffs on the bakery, or a whole new chain to support a new bakery.

about the smelter youre right, it wont make you swords faster - but youre still magically turning fish, bread and sausages into steel or whatever. if you accept the fwle currency youre increasing your worth with a factor 9-10 for steel smelting alone. not a bad deal imo

[sparkz]

I wouldnt rely on buffing to save building slots tho, it means if you cant logon your value chain will be borked... Id rather use buffs as a bonus to stock or speed up some stuff (like swords). If I ever run into a shortage I use buffs to cover it until I got a building that can gap.

Combination of those 2 works best.

For most of the stuff you need you should use buffs to increase production (bread, bronze swords etc). FOr things like iron swords, steel swords and coins you can set up your production for being buffed 24/7 (if you can afford it), or at least during the day. The amount of building licenses you save (for swords), or licenses and craploads of resources (from gold mines and smelters you dont have to build) makes it a really good idea.

Also, gearing up for production based on buffs saves you alot on upgrades (saves thousands of granite, exotic wood and coins on higher levels).

[Krial]

Im pondering to just cancel all my buff industry, now I have 15 buildings producing mats only for making buffs and I use alot of time distributing the buffs and refilling deposits. If I used the building licenses on more important production like hardwood/marble/iron/coal/steel I would save a lot of my precious time.

[Zavvy]

You kinda need the buff industry for saving game time and speeding up your [ Censored ] in other regards, like converting bandits with bread.. 1 settler per 15 min is really slow (wheres [ Censored ] when you need it?)

buffing doesnt by necessity mean you have to sit around waiting for them to run out, the gift basket is 6 hours, 9 if youre fortunate enough to have friends. that means if youre time is scarce but still want to play tso efficiently you can login, buff and logout in 3 minutes, 2 times a day =)

Please be careful with words

Thanks,
peck_ed

[Qualan]

i use buffs indiscriminate of the calculations as stated above. I see it as stopgap measure/push to compensate for lack of licenses. so i basically use em to push yield on resources needed down the line and/or expensive resources (like goldmine). I prefer to use em on 3 times 9 or better) upgraded buildings as this boosts the net yield of the buff the most. I will stop production to stockpil items so when i pop a big buff, i am assured i will have all needed materials to use the buff to max effect.

Oh- and i try to keep my lvl 3 fishers buffed with fish buffs as much as possible as that increases the yield on fish production by around 70% and i dont lose other stuff. Bread is far more valuable to me for making settlers than buffs tbh- so 75% + will go to that, rest is a combo of buffs and fishfood