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----------------------------------
Title: Crop Formation Guide
Author: zitelkita
E-mail: zitelkita(at)gmail(dot)com
Created: April 4, 2006
Last Updated: April 29, 2006
Version 2.9
----------------------------------
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction [1A01]
2. Updates [1B01]
3. Crop Formations [1C01]
...Double C-Formation [2C01]
...Standard C-Formation [2C02]
...Row Formation [2C03]
...Donut Formation [3C01]
...X-Formation [2C04]
...Cross-Formation [2C05]
4. Advanced & Misc. Formations [N/A]
...5x5 Donut Variation [4C01]
5. Tree Formation [1F01]
6. Legal Information [1Z01]
7. Credits & Thanks [1T01]
----------------------------------
1. Introduction [1A01]
----------------------------------
Welcome to my boring and hopefully comprehensive guide to crop formation. This
guide was originally for the full FAQ/Walkthrough I'm working on for HM:MM, but
since I won't be done anytime soon, I've decided to release detailed guide on
crop formation for HM:MM. I hope this guide will be helpful to my fellow
Harvest Moon fans. Please feel free to e-mail me any suggestions and the like,
but please don't send me hate mail, chain mail, spam mail, sign me up for spam,
or the like. Thanks in advanced.
I've tried to make this guide as simple to use as practice. To make it easy to
find something in the guide, there's a table of contents with a bracket code,
which I call the Quadruple-Mark Bracket System, for easy searching. The coding
is arranged like this: [#X##] with the # signs representing numbers and the X
representing a letter. How it's arranged isn't important yet (development isn't
complete, it's still a bit faulty). Simply copy and paste the bracket code into
the find feature (probably ctrl+f) and have fun!
----------------------------------
2. Updates [1B01]
----------------------------------
Version 2.9:
Revised grammatical structure of a particular section.
Version 2.8:
One key basic formation was added. Added a few sections and also made some
preparation for the next major update.
Version 2.2:
Some important information that was overlooked was added.
Version 2.0:
Major update. Added information on tree formation. Added significant amount of
information. Went through and revised the whole guide as needed.
Version 1.2:
Added minor details.
Version 1.1:
Corrected mistyped words.
----------------------------------
3. Crop Formation [1C01]
----------------------------------
Crop formation is very important in HM:MM for farming. The formation you use
will have a significant impact on your level of success.
When creating your formation, you must first note that a bag of seeds will
cover a 3x3 square zone, which means a total of 9 squares. In addition, the
seeds will only cover plowed land. Going by just this, you should till all 9
squares. Unfortunately, doing that would be a mistake until later in the game,
because you wouldn't be able to water the middle crop once your crops begin to
grow. If you don't water your crops, you crops will die. You must also account
for any other obstacles in the area. If you placed your crops right next to a
permanent fence, you might not be able to water the middle crop of that edge
either. So plant your formation accordingly. Although you can just be lazy and
plant in a 3v3 zone all the time and just let whatever crops die, it's not very
practical. First, you would have to travel around that crop zone to water your
plants, wasting time and perhaps stamina as you make mistakes. So even if you
are lazy, or just want to avoid any excess thinking, it would probably be more
easier on you in the long run to use a formation that will, say, allow you to
simply stand on one spot and water your crops in a circle. Second, you will
waste land, because you would not be able to plant in a formation that can be
linked up side by side. But it's up to you.
When planning crop formations, you must first visualize your formation around
the seed spread area, around the limitations of your tools, and around the land
itself, including any obstacles. So a bag of seeds contain 9 seeds. That's 8 if
you consider the above information. Each seed will produce a crop at its full
value (with regards to the soil quality). That means you would want a create a
formation of 8 squares, which is essential the double C-formation. I provided a
little art below, the "X" representing a sowed square of land, and a space
representing land that isn't plowed, in all possible directions. As a side
note, you can hammer in a plowed square of land if you make a mistake. [2C01]
XXX XXX X X XXX
XX XX XXX XXX
XXX XXX XXX X X
How's that? Looks like an awesome formation, eh?
It would be, if you were only planting one bag of seed on open land. The fact
is that you'll probably be planting a lot more crops. You also have to consider
your stamina and your time. Limited stamina means you might not be able to use
every bit of your land in the beginning. Even if you can, you need to be wary
of time. Time means you want to cut down the travel time and the watering time.
And finally, even if you don't need any sleep, you might need to do other
things during the day, such as socializing and taking care of animals. This is
why I would prefer a simple C-formation as opposed to a double C-formation.
(Although the double C-formation looks like an advanced C-formation, their
functionality is so significantly different that the double C-formation cannot
be simply called a modified version of the C-formation). Also, unlike the other
C-formation, you can place a C-formation side-by-side, like this: [2C02]
X XX XX XX X XXXXXX
X XX XX XX X XX
XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX
X XX XX XX X XX
X XX XX XX X XXXXXX
Nifty, isn't it? What's also nice is that you can simply stand in the middle,
pull out your watering can, and start watering from one end to another. Unlike
previous HM games, if you allow your D-stick to rest, your character will
automatically turn to a different square while working. Just keep hitting the
X button until you're done. The C-formation is great and all, but actually, I
prefer the row formation myself.
Row formation: As the name implies, planting crops in rows. In a row formation,
only 6 of the squares will be used, lined up in two parallel 3x1 rows. [2C03]
X X XXX X XX X XXXXXX
X X X XX X
X X XXX X XX X XXXXXX
The above and any other variations follow the row formation. Row formation is
most recommended for crops that regrow, but I recommend using it as a standard
for any crops. Using a row formation means only being able to profit off 6 of
the 9 seeds per bag, so why do I use it? Let me explain.
Putting aside the efficiency of things, it's practical. It's a formation that
is easy to access and easy to "build" in all aspects. Plowing the ground in
rows is easy. Expanding according to this formation is easy. Watering crops
is easy (you can use the lock-on method by holding the R button and moving in a
single direction, or using the stand and work method as for the C-formation).
You'll still make a profit (selling one crop can be more than enough to cover
the cost of a seed bag). But more importantly, it's the most compatible out of
all formations. Not only can you switch formations anytime, as a whole or for
any part, but it'll also work well as your tools are upgraded.
The row formation will become increasingly more effective and practical as your
tools upgrade. It's important to note that, ultimately, you'll go back to and
use the 3x3 formation with the proper tools for most crops anyway, and the 3x3
formation is essentially a row formation that doesn't compromise.
There is one more basic formation that I overlooked, which is the donut
formation. It is a 3x3 formation with a hole in the middle. Simply jump over
into the hole and water your plants from there. [3C01]
XXX XXXXXXXXX
X X X XX XX X
XXX XXXXXXXXX
You can also use the same
concept for advanced formations, such as a 5x5 formation with two holes, which
is great for the gold watering can. It can also be connected.
Here are some examples: [4C01]
XX XX XX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XX XX XX XX X X X X X X XX
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXX XX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A donut formation is quite practical and makes use of good the land. Despite
this, I dislike using it personally because I hate jumping over crops. I do
recommend the donut formation in general for most players. Still, it's not
something I would have the patience to use. After playing so many HM games for
so long, I simply do not care about being able to squeeze every ounce of milk
possible from my farm.
From my experience, a good HM'er will become rich one way or another anyway,
which is why I will avoid using the formation that will most certainly be more
annoying than rewarding (to me), and will simply concentrate most of my efforts
to the social aspects of the game (on a side note, I wish there were more
interactive festivals, like in the SNES and N64 version of HM).
Of course I'll miss out on some additional income from the one or two crops I
won't plant from each bag of seed, but it's assuring to know that HM:MM will
provide me with more than enough land and time, even if I don't take advantage
ofthe game allowing my character to actually jump over crops.
Throughout the game, you might also want to consider using a mix of formations.
The landscape isn't consistent, so there's no need for your formation to be
either. I mostly rely on the row formation, but I don't hesitate to work both
with and around the row formation, depending on the situation. Look at this:
XXXXXXXXX O XXXXXXXXX| O XXXXXXX X|
X X| X|
XXXXXXXXX O XXXXXX+++| XXXXXXXXX|
The "|" represents permanent fencing. The "+" represents land being used by a
tree. The "O" represents a watering hole/well. As you can see, I often add a
C-formation at an end of a row formation, the end where I won't need to go
through. Or I might use a row formation, but open a path on top or the bottom
for my convenience.
By the way, there are two more basic formations. Here's the X-formation: [2C04]
X X X X X X X X XX XX X
X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X XX XX X
This is the Cross-formation: [2C05]
X X X X X X
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
X X X X X X
You probably won't use these two formations as your main formation, if at all,
but I do use (variations of) these formations in various situations, such as
wanting to cover every piece of available land with crops, or maybe planting
flowers in front of my yard, or covering any empty space with grass. I say this
mostly as a joke though. I really wouldn't even try to plant grass between all
my crops, unless I was extremely bored and rich.
Well, that's it for crop formations. There might be other formations, but all
of them are probably variations of the basic formations anyway. Play around
with the various crop formations and have fun. Try to find something that's
convenient, effective, and practical, or just something that works for you. It
doesn't have to be about making the most money out of your land, or maximizing
the use of your land. Besides, this game gives you more than enough land to
work with, sooner or later, and you'll eventually run out of time and maybe
even patience to be able to use all your available land for crops. As long as
you're making some sort of money off crops, it should be fine.
----------------------------------
5. Tree Formation [1F01]
----------------------------------
Tree formation is nowhere as extensive as crop formation, but I thought it was
necessary to at least mention it so I can prevent some frustration from my
fellow Harvest Moon fans. If you're reading this and haven't planted trees yet,
consider yourself blessed. :)
----------------------------------
Title: Crop Formation Guide
Author: zitelkita
E-mail: zitelkita(at)gmail(dot)com
Created: April 4, 2006
Last Updated: April 29, 2006
Version 2.9
----------------------------------
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction [1A01]
2. Updates [1B01]
3. Crop Formations [1C01]
...Double C-Formation [2C01]
...Standard C-Formation [2C02]
...Row Formation [2C03]
...Donut Formation [3C01]
...X-Formation [2C04]
...Cross-Formation [2C05]
4. Advanced & Misc. Formations [N/A]
...5x5 Donut Variation [4C01]
5. Tree Formation [1F01]
6. Legal Information [1Z01]
7. Credits & Thanks [1T01]
----------------------------------
1. Introduction [1A01]
----------------------------------
Welcome to my boring and hopefully comprehensive guide to crop formation. This
guide was originally for the full FAQ/Walkthrough I'm working on for HM:MM, but
since I won't be done anytime soon, I've decided to release detailed guide on
crop formation for HM:MM. I hope this guide will be helpful to my fellow
Harvest Moon fans. Please feel free to e-mail me any suggestions and the like,
but please don't send me hate mail, chain mail, spam mail, sign me up for spam,
or the like. Thanks in advanced.
I've tried to make this guide as simple to use as practice. To make it easy to
find something in the guide, there's a table of contents with a bracket code,
which I call the Quadruple-Mark Bracket System, for easy searching. The coding
is arranged like this: [#X##] with the # signs representing numbers and the X
representing a letter. How it's arranged isn't important yet (development isn't
complete, it's still a bit faulty). Simply copy and paste the bracket code into
the find feature (probably ctrl+f) and have fun!
----------------------------------
2. Updates [1B01]
----------------------------------
Version 2.9:
Revised grammatical structure of a particular section.
Version 2.8:
One key basic formation was added. Added a few sections and also made some
preparation for the next major update.
Version 2.2:
Some important information that was overlooked was added.
Version 2.0:
Major update. Added information on tree formation. Added significant amount of
information. Went through and revised the whole guide as needed.
Version 1.2:
Added minor details.
Version 1.1:
Corrected mistyped words.
----------------------------------
3. Crop Formation [1C01]
----------------------------------
Crop formation is very important in HM:MM for farming. The formation you use
will have a significant impact on your level of success.
When creating your formation, you must first note that a bag of seeds will
cover a 3x3 square zone, which means a total of 9 squares. In addition, the
seeds will only cover plowed land. Going by just this, you should till all 9
squares. Unfortunately, doing that would be a mistake until later in the game,
because you wouldn't be able to water the middle crop once your crops begin to
grow. If you don't water your crops, you crops will die. You must also account
for any other obstacles in the area. If you placed your crops right next to a
permanent fence, you might not be able to water the middle crop of that edge
either. So plant your formation accordingly. Although you can just be lazy and
plant in a 3v3 zone all the time and just let whatever crops die, it's not very
practical. First, you would have to travel around that crop zone to water your
plants, wasting time and perhaps stamina as you make mistakes. So even if you
are lazy, or just want to avoid any excess thinking, it would probably be more
easier on you in the long run to use a formation that will, say, allow you to
simply stand on one spot and water your crops in a circle. Second, you will
waste land, because you would not be able to plant in a formation that can be
linked up side by side. But it's up to you.
When planning crop formations, you must first visualize your formation around
the seed spread area, around the limitations of your tools, and around the land
itself, including any obstacles. So a bag of seeds contain 9 seeds. That's 8 if
you consider the above information. Each seed will produce a crop at its full
value (with regards to the soil quality). That means you would want a create a
formation of 8 squares, which is essential the double C-formation. I provided a
little art below, the "X" representing a sowed square of land, and a space
representing land that isn't plowed, in all possible directions. As a side
note, you can hammer in a plowed square of land if you make a mistake. [2C01]
XXX XXX X X XXX
XX XX XXX XXX
XXX XXX XXX X X
How's that? Looks like an awesome formation, eh?
It would be, if you were only planting one bag of seed on open land. The fact
is that you'll probably be planting a lot more crops. You also have to consider
your stamina and your time. Limited stamina means you might not be able to use
every bit of your land in the beginning. Even if you can, you need to be wary
of time. Time means you want to cut down the travel time and the watering time.
And finally, even if you don't need any sleep, you might need to do other
things during the day, such as socializing and taking care of animals. This is
why I would prefer a simple C-formation as opposed to a double C-formation.
(Although the double C-formation looks like an advanced C-formation, their
functionality is so significantly different that the double C-formation cannot
be simply called a modified version of the C-formation). Also, unlike the other
C-formation, you can place a C-formation side-by-side, like this: [2C02]
X XX XX XX X XXXXXX
X XX XX XX X XX
XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX
X XX XX XX X XX
X XX XX XX X XXXXXX
Nifty, isn't it? What's also nice is that you can simply stand in the middle,
pull out your watering can, and start watering from one end to another. Unlike
previous HM games, if you allow your D-stick to rest, your character will
automatically turn to a different square while working. Just keep hitting the
X button until you're done. The C-formation is great and all, but actually, I
prefer the row formation myself.
Row formation: As the name implies, planting crops in rows. In a row formation,
only 6 of the squares will be used, lined up in two parallel 3x1 rows. [2C03]
X X XXX X XX X XXXXXX
X X X XX X
X X XXX X XX X XXXXXX
The above and any other variations follow the row formation. Row formation is
most recommended for crops that regrow, but I recommend using it as a standard
for any crops. Using a row formation means only being able to profit off 6 of
the 9 seeds per bag, so why do I use it? Let me explain.
Putting aside the efficiency of things, it's practical. It's a formation that
is easy to access and easy to "build" in all aspects. Plowing the ground in
rows is easy. Expanding according to this formation is easy. Watering crops
is easy (you can use the lock-on method by holding the R button and moving in a
single direction, or using the stand and work method as for the C-formation).
You'll still make a profit (selling one crop can be more than enough to cover
the cost of a seed bag). But more importantly, it's the most compatible out of
all formations. Not only can you switch formations anytime, as a whole or for
any part, but it'll also work well as your tools are upgraded.
The row formation will become increasingly more effective and practical as your
tools upgrade. It's important to note that, ultimately, you'll go back to and
use the 3x3 formation with the proper tools for most crops anyway, and the 3x3
formation is essentially a row formation that doesn't compromise.
There is one more basic formation that I overlooked, which is the donut
formation. It is a 3x3 formation with a hole in the middle. Simply jump over
into the hole and water your plants from there. [3C01]
XXX XXXXXXXXX
X X X XX XX X
XXX XXXXXXXXX
You can also use the same
concept for advanced formations, such as a 5x5 formation with two holes, which
is great for the gold watering can. It can also be connected.
Here are some examples: [4C01]
XX XX XX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XX XX XX XX X X X X X X XX
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXX XX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A donut formation is quite practical and makes use of good the land. Despite
this, I dislike using it personally because I hate jumping over crops. I do
recommend the donut formation in general for most players. Still, it's not
something I would have the patience to use. After playing so many HM games for
so long, I simply do not care about being able to squeeze every ounce of milk
possible from my farm.
From my experience, a good HM'er will become rich one way or another anyway,
which is why I will avoid using the formation that will most certainly be more
annoying than rewarding (to me), and will simply concentrate most of my efforts
to the social aspects of the game (on a side note, I wish there were more
interactive festivals, like in the SNES and N64 version of HM).
Of course I'll miss out on some additional income from the one or two crops I
won't plant from each bag of seed, but it's assuring to know that HM:MM will
provide me with more than enough land and time, even if I don't take advantage
ofthe game allowing my character to actually jump over crops.
Throughout the game, you might also want to consider using a mix of formations.
The landscape isn't consistent, so there's no need for your formation to be
either. I mostly rely on the row formation, but I don't hesitate to work both
with and around the row formation, depending on the situation. Look at this:
XXXXXXXXX O XXXXXXXXX| O XXXXXXX X|
X X| X|
XXXXXXXXX O XXXXXX+++| XXXXXXXXX|
The "|" represents permanent fencing. The "+" represents land being used by a
tree. The "O" represents a watering hole/well. As you can see, I often add a
C-formation at an end of a row formation, the end where I won't need to go
through. Or I might use a row formation, but open a path on top or the bottom
for my convenience.
By the way, there are two more basic formations. Here's the X-formation: [2C04]
X X X X X X X X XX XX X
X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X XX XX X
This is the Cross-formation: [2C05]
X X X X X X
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
X X X X X X
You probably won't use these two formations as your main formation, if at all,
but I do use (variations of) these formations in various situations, such as
wanting to cover every piece of available land with crops, or maybe planting
flowers in front of my yard, or covering any empty space with grass. I say this
mostly as a joke though. I really wouldn't even try to plant grass between all
my crops, unless I was extremely bored and rich.
Well, that's it for crop formations. There might be other formations, but all
of them are probably variations of the basic formations anyway. Play around
with the various crop formations and have fun. Try to find something that's
convenient, effective, and practical, or just something that works for you. It
doesn't have to be about making the most money out of your land, or maximizing
the use of your land. Besides, this game gives you more than enough land to
work with, sooner or later, and you'll eventually run out of time and maybe
even patience to be able to use all your available land for crops. As long as
you're making some sort of money off crops, it should be fine.
----------------------------------
5. Tree Formation [1F01]
----------------------------------
Tree formation is nowhere as extensive as crop formation, but I thought it was
necessary to at least mention it so I can prevent some frustration from my
fellow Harvest Moon fans. If you're reading this and haven't planted trees yet,
consider yourself blessed. :)
Jump to page:
Sponsors:
Other files from this game:
- Harvest Moon: Magical Melody hints by System on 05/05/2006, 05:29
Money Making - Harvest Moon: Magical Melody hints by System on 05/05/2006, 05:28
Crop Formation Guide