Don't jump off any cliffs, just yet! Give your family time to prove their worth. They really don't care if they sleep in a bed or on a couch, even the floor will do, if they have too.

My first family surprised the heck out of me! I'm on my 3rd day playing and so far they've accumulated a little over 25,757 coins. Bear in mind, I've bought-up everything conceivable. I praise them a lot, give them goodies here and there. I am convinced, it helps keep them on track.

Isn't the Doctor's consultation, in the 1st. VF, somewhere in the 450 range? If you wait a wee while, the peeps will usually let you know what's ailing them. Don't be too quick to grant them their wishes, their happiness is short lived.

I noticed the ever rotating collectables, and I don't bother my peeps unless it's an uncommon one. On behalf of my first family, who are now in their late fifties, I'm thankful the collectables keeps repeating.

Have you checked the difference, if any, between the salaries in VF1 versa VF2? I have a hunch the salaries are higher in VF2.

Rather than convince yourself about all the difficulties that may or may not lay ahead, challenge yourself!
I don't know about you, but I never could say NO to a challenge! Especially since it was you that got me going on the menu bar!!

ps. One down one to go. Still waiting for my guy to retire his slipper.

I know, you're right. I get frustrated even though I normally have the patience for all LDW's games (well, I've never played the Plant or the Fish one but I have all the rest of their games) but this one is just frustrating me to know end. I have one family going right now and it's one I just started earlier after I installed the update. She was still single when I closed the game so she could sleep for the night.

I have 3 families going in the original version and I play them with the Day/Night reversed cause I'm quite a night owl myself.

Anyway, I'm going to continue trying cause I figure I just have to get the feel for this game. I think that once I make it past the first few days then things will start running more smoothly.

Oh, and I'm glad you brought up the menu bar. I see you moved it to the Mods section and that you also mention Mac users. I did download it but I'm not sure what to do with it, lol! I'm not very tech savvy. Anyway, I have a PC instead of a Mac, but it will work for both, right? Also, do I need to put both those files into the images folder?

Edit to add: Nvm, I got it figured out. Went in to check and my peep was completely exhausted but had received a promotion. Wonder why she was so exhausted...I have been playing VF 1 on my computer but that shouldn't have kept her awake, should it? I know my VF 1 families sleep during the day and I can be on my computer playing other games or browsing the web during the day and yet come 7:00 to 8:00 in the evening when I open that game back up, they are fully rested. Well, tomorrow I won't even get a chance to play again until at least 10:30 or so, so hopefully she'll manage to get some rest by then, lol!

As you probably know from playing VF1, the peeps sleep in short intervals, 10-15 min at most.

Good to hear you're giving up, that's the spirit! I'm now in the 2nd. part of the game. You can look forward to a bunch of new upgrades plus some different skills the peeps have acquired.

Yes, the files will work on both Mac & PC. And, yes, BOTH FILES need to go into the image folder. Just remember to copy the original ones and put them in a different folder, which can be anywhere on your PC. I made a folder called VF2-Originals as I suspect I'll be adding more mods. Looking forward to see other players mods!

Time for this night owl to get some sleep.

Proudly announcing the birth of twins, one of each sex.

The main thing to remember with VF2 in particular is that it lasts a long time! People who expect to finish a game in a day or so needn't apply!

The game is designed so that it will take six weeks or so to reach the sort of position where all the items are unlocked and available. That way interest is spread out over the period; each generation brings new upgrades to install and prices are set so that the most expensive upgrades come at the end. That way younger and/or less wise players won't be tempted to spend all their money on something they can't really afford.

I'm not saying players need to spend a lot of time over those six weeks. You only really need to check on your peeps two or three times a day, for five to ten minutes a time. Just make sure they've got enough food, are not sick, buy them the occasional upgrade, see if they are willing to try for another baby perhaps, look around for some collectibles and so on. That's why VF is called a casual game.

Hi again, Swedane! Yes, the menu bar you made works beautifully, thank you again. Congratulations on the twins -- not having them be the same sex is a definite change from the first game. At least I think it is, I can't remember ever having twins in that game that were not the same sex, so that's neat.

Hi Arnie, good advice but I actually already knew that as I've played VF (original) and all the VV games and have never once done anything to change the time. As I said, I'm used to these games taking time but I think I simply need to get used to "how" this game works -- maybe it's the "differences" between the original and this game that are bugging me, I'm not really sure.

Anyway, I do think that after some time of playing that I will end up liking this second version far better than the first.

Yes, I've never heard of twins of different sexes in any LDW game before either.

My remarks weren't aimed at you, Simsane, or anyone in particular, just those who might be reading this thread. I think I already like this game better than VF1, although of course it's rather too soon to tell for sure. In VF1 there's not really a lot to do after a certain period of time, just watch the money pile up. At least that point should be deferred in VF2 (I hope).

I love Plant Tycoon! Let this be a recommendation that you acquire it.

I made very sure to NOT look at any of the online charts so that everything would be a surprise, and I felt like a genetics researcher while playing. If you cross THIS kind of foliage with THAT kind of foliage, what will you get? Wow, it looks like THAT? Cool! So what will breeding one of the old plants with the new one produce? I had endless pages of notes, keeping track of what I'd crossed with what and what the results had been.

Now that I've played it once, I just make some pretty flowers, but the first time around, it was really fascinating. Of course, I love science, so "I feel like a genetics researcher" might not make everyone feel great.

Here's my family the couch potatoes. Earlier I found them all sitting around reading books so they're not all hooked on TV.

i downloaded the trial today but so far i only got one specific leaf twice and a pinecone twice, no nuts.

Hey, Swedane, I finally checked the Doctor Consultation price in the original and it's 175 coins -- lots cheaper than this version. Pinkanista, I got 15 out of 48 collectibles in the first 2 hours of playing a new peep last night in the original game and have only 5 out of 36 from playing my peep for about 5 to 6 hours total so far in this new version, so you're not alone.

Corylea, you should be one of LDW's sales people, lol! You make the game sound really fun but it's just never interested me before. Often when I'm not playing one of LDW's games then I'm playing a Hidden Object/Adventure game from Big Fish. Or, I'm reading a book. I do watch T.V. but actually not much. I know, I'm a pretty boring person but that's me.

Arnie, I didn't take it in a negative way, I was just trying to explain that I understand. It it a good idea to tell people what you told me though cause this type of game definitely is not for everyone. I like watching their lives "unfold" and change slowly, but some people would just be bored by it. I do like faster paced games too but not super fast nor the kind where you are playing against the clock or even other players. (I have never played an "on-line" game with other players and probably never will but I know some people love those types of games.)

Back to my games!

Oh, I forgot one thing -- love that picture of all your peeps on the couch and bed, lol! I cannot wait to see pics of completed houses. I do LOVE the fact that we can make the rooms be what we want them to be -- THAT is a wonderful improvement over the first version!