I play on normal speed at the beginning of the game and switch to 2X speed once the dam is built. That cuts the waiting period for the first crop, and the interval between crops, by half. I play on normal at first because the villagers eat less food. That allows me to build up food stocks, and then, when I get over about 500, I'll take the farmer away and put him or her on research or (if I've got that far) building the dam. Of course, if the food levels drop below 300-200 I'll put the farmer back. Usually, however, I can last out at around the 500 mark, topping up the food with mushrooms, until the dam is finished.

I don't allow any babies until the after the dam is built either. This is because I need as many villagers working as possible. Again, switching from normal speed once the dam is built leaves the mother "only" looking after her baby for two instead of four hours.

One trick I've discovered is that I try not to let the dam complete while the game is shut down (or even in another game slot). When that happens, the first crop cycle doesn't start until the game starts again, but in the mean time, the villagers have been eating the food supply.

When the dam completes while the game is running, then less food is used (before the first crops come in.)

Yes indeed. Also, the builders are likely to go off and build the small hut and/or repair the loveshack. If both those jobs are completed they'll mill around aimlessly until you open the game and give them something to do. I don't need either hut at this stage, so I prefer to switch the builders to research immediately they've finished the dam.

In fact, wherever possible, I try to guess when a building task will be completed and make sure the game is open. It's not always possible, alas (there's an annoying period called working that I have to spend away from the village).

"Work" is a four-letter curse word. Though unfortunately, I also have to do it. I feel your pain, arnie.

Can anyone tell me what the formula is for the food depletion rate? I know that it's affected by population and the speed at which you're running your village, but I haven't been able to predict when the food levels go down and by how much.

It's roughly 2 food per person for what I can tell. I could be wrong, though.

Thanks, Rand, but there has to be a time value in there too. So, 2 food points per person per ___ minutes? Anyone know?

That I don't know.

it depends on which speed you are playing at, i beleive

Anyone know exactly how many food units a villager eats per hour? (at 2x speed)

I know it is the same for adults and children, but does 'children' include babies still being nursed?