County Fair Event 2013

The County Fair Event (Level 11 or Higher)

Introduced into the game in the Summer of 2013, the County Fair is the literal representation and the game play extension of a mechanism that was previously hinted at but not actually implemented. When it was first mentioned in the game, at a point prior to the expansions for Farm Animals that made Mastery a workable mechanism in the game, the references to the County Fair were largely restricted to Farm Animals.

The actual implementation of the County Fair Event ended up being focused exclusively on crops rather than Farm Animals. The official word is that the County Fair will be a recurring event. That means that this information will be reusable at a later time as well as valuable in the present, if the event is running.

The County Fair Event is triggered by the delivery of the “County Fair Wagon” to your farm - the wagon being towed to the farm by the regular NPC character of Walter. Once you unhitch the wagon it is placed at the side of the road in front of your farm to the left of the Farm Stand and the status window and interface for the contests and the County Fair are accessed by clicking on the wagon (as well as being prompted to do so).

County Fair Part A - Prized Crops Contest

The Prized Crops competition that is the foundation of the County Fair event is divided into two basic categories: “My Friends Prized Crops,” and “My Prized Crops.” The reason for that is simply that the entire concept of the event is a competition between you (the player) and all of your friends (other players).

Part A-1: My Friends Tab and Contest Status and Options

The “My Friends” Tab contains the running total of the current standings in earned points between you and all of your friends. Your position is indicated in the list, while the friends who have a higher score than you (and are listed above you) include the ability to press a button to congratulate them for their success.

The scores in the competition are obtained from the Prized Crops that are harvested when the players use Fertilizer on their crops. These scores are broken down into three categories individually, with the running score being all three added together. The three categories are:

- Best Prized Crop

- Most Points from a Prized Crop

- Current Medal Status

The Medal Status is based upon which of the three (if any) Medals that the player (and you) have unlocked in the process of competing in the Fair (more on that in a bit).

This screen includes the status meter on the left that indicates how many points are required for you to unlock the next Medal, the list in the center, and on the right top a Hints Section, while on the right bottom a button and display that permits you to take advantage of any special and enhancing tools that you may have unlocked (the primary example being the Prize Shovel which allows for double XP and increased Changes of Prized Crop harvesting for a 24-hour period once used).

Along the bottom of the window is the timer that tells you how much time is left for the current contest period.

The Hints Display

(1) Fertilize to Grow Prized Crops: Reward = County Fair Points.

(2) Plant Crops with Longer Timers: Benefit = Better Prize Crops.

(3) Master Your Crops: Benefit = Bigger Prized Crops.

(4) Use Speed Grow: Benefit = More Prized Crops.

(5) Feed or Speed-Feed Animals: Benefit = More Fertilizer.

(6) Visit Friends with Medals: Benefit = Find More Prized Crops (on their farms).

(7) Grow the First Prized (crop type) Among Your Friends: Reward = Bonus Points*

(8) Pass (Friend Name) in Prized (Crop Name) (x Points) to be on top. **

The remaining entries are variations of Numbers 7 and 8 with different Prized Crop Types and Friends based upon the current scoring for the current contest period. It is possible with application and effort to score significantly by using these as your guide.

* The number of Bonus Points depends on the crop type - for instance being the first to grow a Prized Radish during the contest period is worth 50 points. The crop type listed in the hint will change to whatever crop type your mates and you have NOT grown in Prized Status yet for this contest period.

** This is the second localized specific challenge for each contest period. Completing that challenge results in x number of points (depending upon the Crop Type) at the end of the week when the Fair is held for that week.

Part A-2: My Prized Crops Tab and Contest Details

When you click on the tab labeled “My Prized Crops” what you get is a listing of each of the Prized Crops, by type, that you have harvested/collected for the current contest period (the County Fair Contest Periods run each week throughout the Summer).

A sample listing can include the following:

# Harvested - Crop Name - Point Value - Your Position

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

5 - Pinto Bean - 62 Points - 2nd PLace

3 - Tuscan Kale - 38 Points - 3rd Place

2 - Oregano - 22 Points - 3rd Place

When you mouse over each listing bit you get its description:

The first three Items display the same information when you mouse-over them, which consists of the summary that “You have grown X number of Crop Y worth Z Points.”

When you mouse-over the fourth column (Your Position) it says: “You are in X place among your friends for the Crop Y. You are X points away from Friend Y, who is the top producer with Z points!”

The purpose of this section is to help you manager the information you require to improve your position, and to help you decide which crop types you may want to try to grow to obtain additional Prized Crops in.

Part B: The Rules

When you select the Rules Tab, you will find the following information (that will help you in making the most of this contest):

(1) Use Fertilizer to grow Prized Crops.

(2) Most adult animals drop Fertilizer & Limited Time animals are best.

(3) Speed-Grow boosts your chance of finding Prize Crops.

(4) Visit Friends with Medals for guaranteed Prize Crops.*

(5) Win a Medal every week for Coins and to attract helpful Visitors.

(6) Your Neighbor Bar is sorted by Medal Status.

(7) Visitors get more Prize Crops, Water & Fertilizer.

(8) Winning a Medal allows you to do more Visit Actions (Helper Actions).

(9) Mastery boosts crop weight for more points.

(10) Higher points from Longer-timer crops, Limited Time crops & Crop Packets (best!).

(11) First-Grower Bonus: +50 Points for each Prize Crop you grow before your friends.

(12) Top Producer Bonus: +50 Points for having the most points in a Prize Crop at week end.

* When you use one of your helper Actions on their growing crops you are guaranteed to find some Prize Crops as a result.

Part C: Contest Results

When the timer runs out you are whisked off to the County Fair for the Contest Judging, at which point the results (that you should already know pretty much) are made official, Medals are awarded, and your Prizes (in terms of money and bonus Items) are then awarded.

You are then given the opportunities to thank friends (if you win) or congratulate them (if they do).

The Contest Timer then resets and you do it all over again for another week.

Note that even if you have not completed all of the growing Actions you have underway, once the timer runs out, you go to the judging regardless.