The way I calculate the value of a crop is by looking at the productivity per plot per hour. Basically, calculating the net profit for each plot (cost – sell for price / time in hours ) which gives me a common number which can be ranked accordingly for each type of seed. This would work for trees, animals, etc. Because plowing is a fixed cost which would need to be done regardless of which seed you plant, I don’t calculate it in.

This method of calculation allows the user (or virtual farmer) to account for their own time… got a meeting that will last for more than two hours? Then it doesn’t make sense to stick to the 2 hour window of a raspberry, instead, go for the blueberries, even though you’ll make less money over time, it’s the next best crop for the time you have.

In my calculation, the Raspberries produce 13/plot/hour, whereas blueberries produce 10/plot/hour. However, Raspberries are a 2 hour crop, where blueberries are a 4 hour crop. To make your farm work hardest for you, plant the crop that gives you the most money for the amount of hours you expect you’ll be unavailable for to eliminate the potential of withering which would mean a major LOSS!

I wonder why you leave animals and trees out, they are not trivial. At the time you analyzed this Olive trees were outperforming an crop in revenue at 19 coins per hour. 16 trees fit into the same plot size as a crop. Same for most animals. Since trees don’t wither and take time to mature the Pomegranate and above should easily extend past $0.70 per hour.
Now the economic picture has changed a great deal. Trees and animals can be harvested in a few key stroke by using arborers and farmhands. The number of available trees and animals that beat the best crops have expanded. Calves bring in 53.3 per hour. Goats 27, the best chickens 42 and in their coop they bring in 178 coins per hour (per crop plot). The horse born and nursery are also better than the best crops and easily harvested.
None of these things whither and can be harvested easily. If it weren’t for the co-op challenges which finally get people working as a team in Farmvile and add additional coin and experience, I’d convert the whole farm to trees and animals. Well just trees because animals have a time cost.: they are animated and 150 calves slows the Flash based Farmville to a crawl.

So it seems trees and animals are not trivial…

I’v been playing farmville for a while and noticed an interteresting way of gaining xp points. I too have found tomatos the best item to plant over 24 hours, however once reaching 800000 coins, I started to buy and sell buildngs as well. A Lodge is worth 800000 coints for 8000 px sells for 40000 coins or a villa at1 million coins and get 10000 xp and sells for 50000 coins to help replant crops. this system works best when you have a crop already planed before buying a bulidings.
just more food for thought!

keith

I’ve been playing Farmville for two days and, like you, I’ve been totally impressed with the lessons being taught about economics, time, commodities, etc. I was even more impressed with your analysis. I was feeling questions in my bones emerging about how the Farmville dynamics might look on a spreadsheet, and, by golly, your charts saved me some time!

I just now stumbled onto your blog. So forgive me if you’ve already posted answers to the following questions on your blog, but I’m flying out the door and wanted to ask you:

(1) what do you do for a living, and, (2) are you available in the future as a consultant per hour?

I’ve got a project in development, and if things go right, I may want to hire you per hour for more than just Farmville coins.

Thank you, sir,
Bob Anderson

Never figured out how to put a value on your time spent doing this though. Just knew I did not want to be bothered by it that often. Great graphs.

I also find it helpful to have a list of a crops grouped by grow time. Based on the time of day, I pick the best crop for the situation. If I’m going to be gone for the weekend, I might grow a 2 or 3 day crop. If I know I’ll return home after work, I may grow an 8 hour crop.

I assume you mean Farmville Cash (FV), not coins, since coins you earn through harvesting crops, trees, animals. There are only two ways to get Farmville Cash: Either buy it with real money, or earn it one bill at a time through the high end ribbons (Blue ribbons).

Hope this helps.
Adam

Zynga is having heavy load issues this past week/weekend. Not surprising given the huge exponential growth of Farmville.
Adam