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So I've been playing Stardew Valley again, and embarked on a project that turned out to go just like every normal programming project.
About Spring 20, I decided to try and plant 200 Starfruit that summer (in 8 days). I had enough sprinklers for 200 so this should go swimmingly.
About Spring 20, I decided to try and plant 200 Starfruit that summer (in 8 days). I had enough sprinklers for 200 so this should go swimmingly.
I did the math - 200 seeds * 400g = 80k gold investment. I had about 60k in the bank but lots of wine/jam coming up soon so I wasn't too worried.
But then I read the crops chart and saw I could get three harvests in (instead of 2) if I used +25% speed grow, available for 80g.
But then I read the crops chart and saw I could get three harvests in (instead of 2) if I used +25% speed grow, available for 80g.
Now my investment is 480g with a net return of 270g (*200 = 54k net profit). Not great, but if I turn it into wine I get 1770g net per seed (*200 = 354k gold). Now we're cooking with gas.
I decide to shoot for 300 seeds instead of 200. Everything is fine.
I decide to shoot for 300 seeds instead of 200. Everything is fine.
Now, you can only get speed growth boost on Thursdays at the Oasis (via bus) for 80g, otherwise it's 150. Well, first unexpected thing; The bus doesn't run on the only remaining Thursday of spring because Pam has her appointment there. So my (400+80)*300 investment has changed.
Now it's gone to (400+150)*300. I now need to front 165k gold, up from my initial estimate of (400+80)*200 - 96k gold.
Okay, don't panic I can still do this. I dump pretty much every spare fruit, vegetable, mineral, weapon, etc. out of my bins and scrape up 165,036.
Okay, don't panic I can still do this. I dump pretty much every spare fruit, vegetable, mineral, weapon, etc. out of my bins and scrape up 165,036.
I hurry out at the end of spring, buy my seeds, buy my expensive fertilizer, and spend the last day putting sprinklers in the right place.
On Summer 1, I manage to till, fertilize, water, and plant all 300 seeds, going to bed 10 minutes before forced pass-out.
On Summer 1, I manage to till, fertilize, water, and plant all 300 seeds, going to bed 10 minutes before forced pass-out.
It's about this time that it occurs to me that to actually do multiple harvests like I planned, I have to re-buy the seeds. Because I've used speed grow, I only have 10 days before I need to buy seeds again, and I need 120k (don't need to rebuy speed grow). Panic sets in.
I take the last harvest of spring and dump it into kegs and preserve jars and do eventually come up with the 120k needed.
About three days into summer, I realized that I A) pretty much need to turn them into wine for it to be worth the investment and B) it takes 1 week to wine.
About three days into summer, I realized that I A) pretty much need to turn them into wine for it to be worth the investment and B) it takes 1 week to wine.
I have 42 kegs currently. To process 900 fruit into wine, 6300 days (900*7 days) across 42 kegs is 150 days.
There's only 112 days to a year. So that leads to the next problem; Acquiring enough kegs to be done by end of winter/spring.
There's only 112 days to a year. So that leads to the next problem; Acquiring enough kegs to be done by end of winter/spring.
That means I need to acquire 845 more wood, 325 copper ore, 300 iron ore, 62 oak resin, and 85 coal by the end of summer.
Oh, but to get 62 oak resin in the ~24 days left of summer I need to tap 18 trees starting today. With supplies I don't have, and money I don't have.
Oh, but to get 62 oak resin in the ~24 days left of summer I need to tap 18 trees starting today. With supplies I don't have, and money I don't have.
And once I buy the second set of seeds, there's only 9-10 days before I have to come up with another 120k for final iteration, and I'm all out of spare crops, so I'm hinged on the first fruit crops being turned into wine in one go to come up with 120k gold.
This would have been significantly easier if I could take out a loan, since a lot of the struggle comes from needing to hit the exact planting schedule with no spare days.
In the end, one notepad document later and an hour of scheming, I think I'm going to make it work.
In the end, one notepad document later and an hour of scheming, I think I'm going to make it work.
Anyways,
It reminds me a lot of programming. You set out with a reasonable goal. Scope creep sets in. You get attached to the new scope. Unexpected out-of-your-control things happen which change requirements. You overlook things, those change requirements too.
It reminds me a lot of programming. You set out with a reasonable goal. Scope creep sets in. You get attached to the new scope. Unexpected out-of-your-control things happen which change requirements. You overlook things, those change requirements too.
I set out to be a farmer and turned into a programmer anyways.
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
Here's what 300 Starfruit plans look like. Well, 299 because I accidentally pickaxed one while taking the screenshot, but I'm not saving anyways so it's ok.
