Hi, I apologize if this has been answered, but I was wondering if buying the office/kitchen/workshop upgrades helped speed up career advancement?

Also, I hear 2 kinds of chimes. One sounds like bigger chimes you'd hang from a porch, and they seem to be part of the ambient sounds. The other is a tiny chime-like sound that *seems* to sound when a new collectible has shown up in the general vicinity. Is it my imagination, or does this smaller, quieter, higher-pitched chime sound indicate a collectible has landed nearby?

Taarna, if you look at the career area upgrades in the store, (once clicked on) the descriptions will tell you that the second upgrade...



while the third (last) upgrade...




As far as the chimes, I can't help you there, as I usually play with the sound off.

Taarna, it's not your imagination. There's a wind-chime which I used to hear near the ocean when "I lived in Isola" -- and then there's the "Ka-ching" chime when a collectable is sold, interest is earned on your money or someone gets paid. Hope that helps.

I have always suspected that chime leads to a collectible, through all the LDW games. No one has ever fully said it's true but I think chime=collectible.

So one might say that instead of buying things in the store first that it might be best to get the career upgrades first? I have been playing backwards I think.

I would say there's no "right way" to play.

I decided to save money and buy the career upgrades first, but if you are having fun buying the home items and watching the new behaviours triggered by them, why not!

I will take you longer maybe. But it's always time to save money later. Depends on what makes the game more enjoyable for you.

Anyways, that's my two cents

I agree with cjlouve. It's totally up to the person to determine the best way to play for the game to be as fun as possible.

The way I play might seem totally backward (or totally the same!) as someone else's manner of playing, but that's what makes the game fun!

I have 4 games going and have different variations for each. The first one, they have 6 kids and I buy lots of stuff for the house. The career upgrades can wait. In another, I have one kid (if an adoptee comes, I'll take him/her), and only buy food. The other 2 are other variations (4 kids in one, buying everything, 2 kids in the other, buying repair kits, food, fruit and candy). That's what makes this game fun! You can choose whatever size family you want and go for whatever upgrades you want.

How can you have 4 games going simultaneously? Am I missing something?

You can play under five different names - just click on your current name and you'll get the option to name a 'new player.'