Basically the Clicking Bad Christmas Special
December 12, 2013 3:13 AM   Subscribe

Merry Clickmas! Make presents for everyone in the world and save Christmas!
posted by Elementary Penguin (139 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
If you're like me and are going to play this game regardless of the fact that you probably shouldn't you can "speed up time" once you get the reindeer stables which is a relatively early upgrade, after that run this JS snippet in a developer toolkit of your choice.

for (d in decorations)
{
decorations[d].have = true;
}
update_reindeer();

yes it's cheating, but it doesn't by any means completely break the game, and I nearly broke my trackpad on clicking bad.
posted by sourbrew at 3:42 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


There's a bug where sometimes elfs transferred away from making toys then transferred back don't do anything, it seems. I've got a 90/sec rate there at the moment but the number isn't going up.
posted by JHarris at 3:56 AM on December 12, 2013


What's the maximum number of decorations the reindeer can have?
posted by talitha_kumi at 3:56 AM on December 12, 2013


Ah, I see -- it was just the rate was equal to the present wrapping outlay. Never mind, click on!
posted by JHarris at 3:57 AM on December 12, 2013


there are 59 total decorations.
posted by sourbrew at 3:58 AM on December 12, 2013


> tree
> candy cane
> star
> elf
> reindeer
> chocolate coins (it accepted it? hmm)
> menorah NO (dammit)
> dreidle NO (okay forget that then)
> sleigh
> popcorn
> lights
> nativity
> easter eggs NO (unimaginative)
> leprechaun NO (but they're elves' irish friends)
posted by JHarris at 4:00 AM on December 12, 2013


If you run the js snippet I provided at the top of the page it will unlock all the decorations if you get tired of guessing them.
posted by sourbrew at 4:01 AM on December 12, 2013


Decorations so far...
a Christmas tree
tinsel
baubles
a star
an angel
Christmas lights
candles
bells
a Christmas wreath
mistletoe
holly
an advent calendar
Christmas cards
toys
a Christmas stocking
candy canes
chocolate decorations
a nativity scene
a toy soldier
a reindeer decoration
an elf decoration
a sleigh decoration
a Christmas pudding decoration
a snowman
snow decoration
icicles
a lump of coal
posted by talitha_kumi at 4:04 AM on December 12, 2013


Yes, but what fun is that? I tend to latch on to all the ways this is different from Clicking Bad and cherish them.
posted by JHarris at 4:05 AM on December 12, 2013


a Christmas tree
tinsel
baubles
a star
an angel
pine cones
Christmas lights
candles
bells
ribbons
a Christmas wreath
mistletoe
holly
Christmas cards
Christmas presents
toys
a Christmas stocking
candy canes
a nativity scene
a sleigh decoration
a snow globe
a snowman
snow decoration
a lump of coal
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 4:06 AM on December 12, 2013


I guess I kind of see debugging the code as a way to have a victory in my own right.

It really doesn't ruin the game, just allows you to speed up the automagic generation of presents to the fastest rate. I do however understand your feelings as well which is why I have refrained from posting the complete list.
posted by sourbrew at 4:07 AM on December 12, 2013


Don't forget a partridge in a pear tree!
posted by Elementary Penguin at 4:08 AM on December 12, 2013


Five golden rings also works.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 4:09 AM on December 12, 2013


Turkey
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 4:10 AM on December 12, 2013


You can also get a figure of Jesus. I guess this isn't vague non-representational Merry Clickmas.
posted by JHarris at 4:11 AM on December 12, 2013


a drum
posted by talitha_kumi at 4:11 AM on December 12, 2013


> rampant and excessive capitalism NO
posted by JHarris at 4:12 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


It doesn't recognize any of the myriad variations on "yeti" that I've tried so far. That, along with its ignorance of camels hanging out in the nativity scene, and refusal to acknowledge Santa's best hebro Harry, makes me suspicious as to this game's accuracy.
posted by Mizu at 4:12 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


You can also get a figure of Jesus

In the same vein, there's also Mary, Joseph, wise men and shepherds
posted by talitha_kumi at 4:12 AM on December 12, 2013


> cthulhu NO (get with the times)
posted by JHarris at 4:13 AM on December 12, 2013


so far:

a Christmas tree
a partridge in a pear tree
tinsel
baubles
glass ornaments
a star
an angel
pine cones
Christmas lights
candles
bells
five gold rings
ribbons
glitter
a Christmas wreath
mistletoe
holly
an advent calendar
Christmas cards
Christmas presents
toys
wrapping paper
a Christmas stocking
candy canes
chocolate decorations
a Christingle
a nativity scene
a figure of Mary
a figure of Joseph
a figure of Jesus
wise men figures
a toy soldier
a donkey decoration
a reindeer decoration
a penguin decoration
a polar bear decoration
a santa decoration
an elf decoration
a sleigh decoration
a Christmas pudding decoration
a turkey decoration
a chimney decoration
a snow globe
a snowman
snow decoration
icicles
a lump of coal

it wouldn't accept menorah, gingerbread man, or poinsettia.
posted by taz at 4:14 AM on December 12, 2013


santa
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 4:14 AM on December 12, 2013


What the heck is a Christingle?
posted by JHarris at 4:15 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


It would also appear you can skip production if you concentrate on outsourced toy production.
posted by sourbrew at 4:15 AM on December 12, 2013


"santa" won't work, but "santa decoration" will.
posted by JHarris at 4:16 AM on December 12, 2013


Or maybe I entered it wrong at first.
posted by JHarris at 4:17 AM on December 12, 2013


A Christingle is a symbolic object, related to the pomander, used in the advent services of many Christian denominations.

A Christingle consists of:

an orange representing the world;
a red ribbon around it representing the blood of Christ;
dried fruits skewered on cocktail sticks pushed into the orange, representing the fruits of the earth and the four seasons; and
a lit candle pushed into the centre of the orange, representing Jesus Christ as the light of the world.[1]
The base of the candle is commonly wrapped in tinfoil. This is purely functional.
posted by talitha_kumi at 4:17 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Ah, thanks.

I like how North Pole building codes force the doubling of the price for of each storey of a building. But then that's just the price you have to pay when you build on ice (or, these days, water).
posted by JHarris at 4:19 AM on December 12, 2013


> santa hats
posted by JHarris at 4:19 AM on December 12, 2013


I just put in "orange," and they gave me Christingle. It was the first time I've seen that word!
posted by taz at 4:20 AM on December 12, 2013


The Achievements pane says there's 42 decorations in all.
posted by JHarris at 4:22 AM on December 12, 2013


There are 59 that can be unlocked. Regardless of what that says.

I think maybe you are referring to the total number of upgrades perhaps?
posted by sourbrew at 4:25 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


> candle
posted by DigDoug at 4:31 AM on December 12, 2013


So basically, Geoffrey White has given us all the gift of carpel tunnel syndrome this year.
posted by JHarris at 4:34 AM on December 12, 2013 [3 favorites]


paper chains
posted by taz at 4:39 AM on December 12, 2013


> trumpet
posted by JHarris at 4:43 AM on December 12, 2013


I'm just going to make everyone cookies this Christmas.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:43 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


> cookies NO
> candy You already have candy canes
> meth NO
posted by JHarris at 4:45 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


sure, no meth – but stricter bosses and fewer breaks, they allow. So hypocritical.
posted by taz at 4:50 AM on December 12, 2013


And also everyone is in a hypnotic work trance from Jingle Bells being played in its thousand variations on cycle in the CD Changer.
posted by JHarris at 4:51 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


And also, everyone is paid in "presents."

"Hey Santa, how about some health insurance this year? Or are you just gonna get me a train set again?"
posted by JHarris at 4:52 AM on December 12, 2013


I imagined that the CD changer plays a loop of "Santa Claus is coming to town" - so all the elves work faster because when Santa arrives, there'd better be enough presents for him. A kind of Christmas panopticon.
posted by talitha_kumi at 4:53 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


This is starting to resemble a festive yuletide hell. Hmmm.

> cauldron NO
> pitchfork NO
> wailing of the damned NO
posted by JHarris at 4:54 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


> muppets NO

:(
posted by litleozy at 5:06 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


Cherub is one!
posted by sarae at 5:08 AM on December 12, 2013


Worth noting, when you speed up time with decorations, it also speeds up outsourced deliveries. So if you get it up to 300%, you actually get deliveries every 3 1/3 minutes.
posted by JHarris at 5:13 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


I have managed to increase my time to 336%, it also impacts wishes from the Christmas Tree which are available every 30 minutes normally.
posted by sourbrew at 5:17 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Once you get a system of deliveries going, it is a mistake to immediately put too much into wrapping machines. Even with all your elves set to making toys, it's easy to get to a place where you're wrapping much faster than you can produce.

Once you start getting wishes from the tree, if you pick the "get another wish" wish, it seems to randomly regenerate the other choice, so you might can pick that a few times until you get a better deal.
posted by JHarris at 5:23 AM on December 12, 2013


> fairy

Huh?
posted by JHarris at 5:29 AM on December 12, 2013


Ah, I see, the "upgrades" are listed as being 42, but the decorations the reindeer put up are something different. I confused the two in my comment above.
posted by JHarris at 5:32 AM on December 12, 2013


Lantern.

Also, no egg nog, but there are penguins?
posted by pianissimo at 5:50 AM on December 12, 2013


> ribbon
posted by JHarris at 5:50 AM on December 12, 2013


Christmas crackers
posted by pianissimo at 5:51 AM on December 12, 2013


Oh my god I've become Cathy Lee Gifford!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 6:10 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


> fairy

Huh?


As in Sugar Plum...
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 6:10 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Oh my god I've become Cathy Lee Gifford!

It's a Christmas miracle! Or is that the right word for it?

Well, I found out what a Christingle is today. It seems like an incredibly overwrought metaphor to me, but whatever floats your holiday boat.
posted by JHarris at 6:21 AM on December 12, 2013



> muppets NO

:(


See that's bullshit because my most treasured Christmas tradition is when my wife and I watch Muppet Christmas Carol and I swear that this year I'm not going to cry when Beaker gives Scrooge his scarf and damn it, I'm tearing up just writing this sentence. IT'S SO MOVING, WHAT ARE YOU, A ROBOT?
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 6:28 AM on December 12, 2013 [3 favorites]


I'm up to 316%, which from sourbrew's hints implies there's four decorations left to guess. I'm out of ideas.
posted by JHarris at 6:29 AM on December 12, 2013


Robin.

("Batman" not accepted)
posted by taz at 6:29 AM on December 12, 2013


Shepherd
posted by taz at 6:31 AM on December 12, 2013


What does a robin have to do with Christmas?
posted by JHarris at 6:31 AM on December 12, 2013


They're one of more recognisable birds that sticks around during the winter in the UK, so they got associated with Christmas. Christmas cards featuring robins in a snowy scene are common.
posted by talitha_kumi at 6:33 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


trains, choo-choos, and locomotives are No's as well. So are (Thomas) Kinkade and paintings.
posted by royalsong at 6:38 AM on December 12, 2013


Sack
posted by pianissimo at 7:07 AM on December 12, 2013


Retrospective apologies for all the spoilers.
posted by pianissimo at 7:09 AM on December 12, 2013


A Christmas sack? Do I really want to know? I guess it's Santa's present bag or something.
posted by JHarris at 7:15 AM on December 12, 2013


Yeah, I tried "bag" earlier. (I guess this is one of those trousers vs pants, biscuits vs cookies things)
posted by taz at 7:17 AM on December 12, 2013


Merry Christmas Banner!

Huh, I never even tried "bag". And I'm still annoyed at the penguins. They live at the South Pole, people!
posted by pianissimo at 7:21 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


And that's 59 by my count. Is there supposed to be a special message, or does the game cruelly expect you to keep guessing for no gain?
posted by pianissimo at 7:27 AM on December 12, 2013


> candy NO
> lollipop NO
> wooden sword NO
> enchanted chocolate-covered candy sword studded with -- DUDE SERIOUSLY WRONG GAME
posted by fight or flight at 7:37 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


can you please post the final complete decorations list, pianissimo? thanks!
posted by Jacqueline at 7:38 AM on December 12, 2013


I think mine's complete, here:

*** SPOILERS ***






a Christmas tree
a partridge in a pear tree
tinsel
baubles
glass ornaments
a star
an angel
a fairy
a cherub
pine cones
Christmas lights
candles
a lantern
bells
five gold rings
a trumpet
a drum
ribbons
a Merry Christmas banner
mistletoe
holly
an advent calendar
paper chains
Christmas crackers
Christmas cards
Christmas presents
toys
wrapping paper
a Christmas stocking
a Christmas sack
candy canes
chocolate decorations
a Christingle
a nativity scene
a figure of Mary
a figure of Joseph
a figure of Jesus
shepherd figures
wise men figures
a toy soldier
a donkey decoration
a robin decoration
a reindeer decoration
a penguin decoration
a polar bear decoration
a santa decoration
an elf decoration
a sleigh decoration
a Christmas pudding decoration
a turkey decoration
a chimney decoration
a snow globe
a snowman
snow decoration
icicles
santa hats
a lump of coal
posted by JHarris at 7:41 AM on December 12, 2013


Made it to the goal (7.1B presents). Unfortunately it doesn't tell you how long you took, which is a shame as it lessens replay value, no incentive to try for faster times.
posted by JHarris at 7:42 AM on December 12, 2013


Wow, you're a lot faster than me. My elves are lazy. *shakes fist at lazy meth elves*
posted by taz at 7:46 AM on December 12, 2013 [3 favorites]


I think you're missing 'wreath'
posted by Davidicus at 7:47 AM on December 12, 2013


It's also missing another one, which I can't be bothered to identify, so here's my list:









1. a Christmas tree
2. a partridge in a pear tree
3. tinsel
4. baubles
5. glass ornaments
6. a star
7. an angel
8. a fairy
9. a cherub
10. pine cones
11. Christmas lights
12. candles
13. a lantern
14. bells
15. five gold rings
16. a trumpet
17. a drum
18. ribbons
19. glitter
20. a Merry Christmas banner
21. a Christmas wreath
22. mistletoe
23. holly
24. an advent calendar
25. paper chains
26. Christmas crackers
27. Christmas cards
28. Christmas presents
29. toys
30. wrapping paper
31. a Christmas stocking
32. a Christmas sack
33. candy canes
34. chocolate decorations
35. a Christingle
36. a nativity scene
37. a figure of Mary
38. a figure of Joseph
39. a figure of Jesus
40. shepherd figures
41. wise men figures
42. a toy soldier
43. a donkey decoration
44. a robin decoration
45. a reindeer decoration
46. a penguin decoration
47. a polar bear decoration
48. a santa decoration
49. an elf decoration
50. a sleigh decoration
51. a Christmas pudding decoration
52. a turkey decoration
53. a chimney decoration
54. a snow globe
55. a snowman
56. snow decoration
57. icicles
58. santa hats
59. a lump of coal
posted by pianissimo at 7:50 AM on December 12, 2013


It's also missing another one, which I can't be bothered to identify...

glitter
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 7:53 AM on December 12, 2013


Wow, you're a lot faster than me. My elves are lazy. *shakes fist at lazy meth elves*

The problem is you're giving them too much meth.

Or not enough, I forget how that works.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 7:53 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


As in Sugar Plum...

And yet no nutcracker!
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:54 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


No to mince pies? No to yule logs? What is this madness?
posted by fight or flight at 7:56 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


No Mr. Hankey? I thought this was America.
posted by phong3d at 7:57 AM on December 12, 2013


> elf union NO
> worker's rights NO

:|
posted by fight or flight at 7:59 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


The North Pole is a right-to-work state, commie.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 8:02 AM on December 12, 2013 [3 favorites]


What's with all the "white-man's-burden" pity partying for the poor-widdle elves. If those freaking elves felt oppressed they'd revolt, but no, it's either work for Santa or starve up there. Hell, 47% of them would rather just sit on there asses and suck on free candy canes!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 8:08 AM on December 12, 2013


Elf's Lament

I'm a man of reason, and they say "'Tis the season to be jolly"
But it's folly when you volley for position

Never in existence has there been such a resistance
To ideas meant to free us
If you could see us, then you'd listen

Toiling through the ages, making toys on garnished wages
There's no union
We're only through when we outdo the competition

I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

A full indentured servitude can reflect on one's attitude
But that silly red hat just makes the fat man look outrageous

Absurd though it may seem, you know, I've heard there's even been illegal doping
And though we're coping, I just hope it's not contagious

You try to start a movement, and you think you see improvement
But when thrown into the moment, we just don't seem so courageous

I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

You look at yourself
You're an elf
And the shelf is just filled with disappointing memories
Trends come and go, and your friends wanna know why you aren't just happy making crappy little gizmos
Every kid knows they'll just throw this stuff away

We're used to repetition, so we drew up a petition
We, the undersigned, feel undermined
Let's redefine "employment"

We know that we've got leverage, so we'll hand the fat man a beverage
And sit back while we attack the utter lack of our enjoyment

It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow
He may thunder, but if he blunders, he may wonder where the toys went

I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
posted by royalsong at 8:12 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Just be careful what you say in here folks; there may be infiltrators taking notes on everything. *discreetly nods in Elementary Penguin's direction*
posted by taz at 8:15 AM on December 12, 2013


I am disappointed in the lack of trains and polar bears, especially considering the penguins. But the penguins did remind me of a rather unfortunate lawn ornament at a house across from a friend's -- one of those inflatables that was a line of penguins sliding down an igloo, or something. All innocent enough until the wind picked up and started blowing back and forth.

That same house also had an animatronic tea party consisting of a fox, badger, and...something else, hedgehog, maybe...in vaguely Victorian clothes. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
posted by EvaDestruction at 8:29 AM on December 12, 2013


I kind of like this genre of not-game, but I'm waiting for someone to do something really interesting with it. Other than just a different list of strings.

The code is pretty readable, even for non-programmers. Search for var decorations for the list of decorations, for instance.
posted by Nelson at 8:34 AM on December 12, 2013


It is just one more piece of evidence of the war on Christmas that "GIANT ANIMATRONIC RAT KING!" is not on the decoration list. Heathen poseurs!
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:09 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


What does putting a Christmas tree in the middle of the workshop do? Is it worth it?
posted by Jacqueline at 9:28 AM on December 12, 2013


The Christmas tree gives wishes that increase productivity. It got one because I'd gotten my toy-making/present-wrapping ratio wrong and needed to burn presents, and the extra toy-making capacity was definitely helpful, so it was worth it for me.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:34 AM on December 12, 2013


Much as in real life, the Christmas tree grants wishes that can help boost outsourced worker productivity.
posted by mittens at 9:34 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


My Christmas tree has upped my deliveries to 71 million so far -- I usually get the balance about right, I am near zero presents (or at zero) when the new delivery comes in.
posted by jeather at 9:45 AM on December 12, 2013


I haven't had an elf wrapping presents in hours.
posted by Shutter at 9:53 AM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


I have all my elves wrapping, and my automatic wrapping machines maxed out, but then my deliveries are up to 124 m so with magic mirror multipliers, I'm cranking out 1.24 m presents per second. I may need to get some more elves to wrap.
posted by pbrim at 10:14 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


I just feel like if I got rid of some of these toymaking elves and increased bonuses for the marketing elves I'd be getting a lot more product out there at the end of the day.
posted by taz at 10:15 AM on December 12, 2013


wow, yeah, those tree wishes are powerful. thanks for the tip.
posted by Jacqueline at 10:21 AM on December 12, 2013


Fuck. There goes my day.
posted by brokeaspoke at 10:28 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Actually towards the end it is pretty automated. I am half way to goal, I have maxed out my wrapping machines and balanced with elves. At this point, I just need to keep an eye out for machines requiring maintenance, buy a few songs now and then, and check every half hour for Tree wishes.
posted by pbrim at 10:31 AM on December 12, 2013


reindeer stable decorations reduce time between christmas tree wishes too? or do i just suck at setting my alarm?
posted by Jacqueline at 11:09 AM on December 12, 2013


I think christmas tree wishes just come every 30 minutes no matter what... at least as far as I've been able to tell.
posted by taz at 11:18 AM on December 12, 2013


Definitely a northern hemisphere xmas! No seafood, white wine, beaches or thoroughly anachronistic winter decorations in evidence.
posted by goo at 11:58 AM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


Evidently the name for this genre of game is "incremental games," or so says the subreddit devoted to them. Thread for this game.
posted by jbickers at 11:59 AM on December 12, 2013 [3 favorites]


Is the goal 7 billion presents in my presents pile, or 7 billion presents total including ones I spend? It seems to me like the floor upgrades get increasingly inefficient (30 million for 10 more elves doesn't make sense if each elf only increases your gift rate by a few gifts per second), but maybe it doesn't matter.
posted by muddgirl at 12:09 PM on December 12, 2013


It has a winning splashscreen! That's the one problem I've been having with clickingbad - the long hours when you've done everything that's available to do, but you can't close the window and be done with it because there just might be something else around the corner.

But I saved Christmas, and now I can feel I accomplished something today.
posted by talitha_kumi at 12:10 PM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


Well, not a few, but assuming your creation and wrapping multipliers are constant, adding 500 more gifts per second is worth less when you're already generating 100,000 gifts per second...
posted by muddgirl at 12:10 PM on December 12, 2013


I passed 7 billion a while ago, in total, and nothing happened, so it must be presents in the present pile that count.
posted by mittens at 12:20 PM on December 12, 2013


awwwwww yissssssss just got the magic mirrors
posted by Jacqueline at 12:36 PM on December 12, 2013


So, has anyone done the calculus to determine when it's not worth adding more stories to your workshop? Is it wrong of me to want to do the calculus to figure out the moves of a "perfect game"?
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:57 PM on December 12, 2013


do it and report back, please
posted by Jacqueline at 1:03 PM on December 12, 2013 [2 favorites]


Exact allocation of elves and required number of elves in the end is going to depend a lot on your Christmas Tree wishes. There may be an optimal formula before that, but when you start throwing random numbers into the mix the formula goes out the window.
posted by pbrim at 1:09 PM on December 12, 2013


If someone wanted to hire me as an "incremental games consultant" I'd get right on that Jacqueline. As it is you're at least going to have to decorate my stable or something.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:14 PM on December 12, 2013


Having just spent the last few minutes watching my counter so I wouldn't miss the win screen, yes, it's the presents count under the red button, not the one tracked under "achievements" that counts.

(Also, if you click "ok" after the splash rather than closing the window, there is a little "yay, you won!" change to the graphics that persists, and that is amusing me more than I would've expected.)
posted by EvaDestruction at 1:27 PM on December 12, 2013


Eva, are you saying you have to actually be watching when the win screen happens - as in, it goes away? Or will it wait for you to dismiss it?
posted by jbickers at 1:33 PM on December 12, 2013


You guys are way better than I am. I thought it was overall presents and so foolishly spent too many...
posted by corb at 1:34 PM on December 12, 2013


The splashscreen waits patiently for you to acknowledge and dismiss it.
posted by talitha_kumi at 1:45 PM on December 12, 2013


What talitha said. I was just watching as the counter got close because immediate gratification.
posted by EvaDestruction at 1:46 PM on December 12, 2013


So I made a spreadsheet that calculates the best distribution of current elves, given current modifiers. Then I calculated how long it will take to reach the goal if you buy a modifier vs. stay put. I already stupidly bought up to level 18, where I will finish my presents in 9 minutes. If I buy level 19, it will take me 13 minutes to finish.

Wish I had thought of this 17 floors ago...
posted by muddgirl at 2:19 PM on December 12, 2013 [1 favorite]


those of you who've won, how many elves did you have? because i think maybe i'm over-invested in elves and should just let it run its course now...
posted by Jacqueline at 2:23 PM on December 12, 2013


I bought way, way too many, because I didn't realise it was 7.1 billion current presents and not 7.1 billion total.
posted by jeather at 2:39 PM on December 12, 2013


I ended up with 40 wrapping machines and 200 elves wrapping full time to handle deliveries of 132,000,000.
posted by pbrim at 2:44 PM on December 12, 2013


ok so my 40 machines and 210 elves isn't too whack
posted by Jacqueline at 2:46 PM on December 12, 2013


- When you speed up time with decorations, it also increases the rate of outsourced deliveries and tree wishes. So get all the decorations you can as soon as possible, the improvements are substantial.

- At first elves are your primary means of production (after the start where you're clicking mostly), but once you get deliveries coming in they begin to become less useful for that. But elves are still somewhat useful because you can allocate them between toy-making and present-wrapping, whereas machines just wrap presents. So if you end up, because of machines, with no presents left to wrap, you can throw all your elves into making toys and salvage the situation until the next delivery comes in. And if the deliveries are large enough that you have a huge pile of toys to wrap, you can have them wrap along with your machines. I wouldn't bother getting the elf building up beyond 19 floors or so -- and that's only at the end when you have so many presents lying around that it's not going to matter much to your finish time having a few more elves. My rule of thumb in the late game (over 10M presents and have wrapping machines and deliveries going) was, does the cost of a new floor seem pitiful compared to the number of presents I have lying around? If it does, why not buy a new floor, but if it's going to deplete my pile when I have expensive things to save up for, once you have deliveries and wrapping machines going it's just not going to make much of an impact.

- Your goal in the late game is to have the pile of toys run out close to the moment the next delivery comes in, which is optimal. At the end for me, with 19 floors, that was at around 50-55 making toys and the rest wrapping, but the randomness of the wishes changes things a bit.

- The best wishes at first, by far, are deliveries, which start at 1M toys but can go up like 6M more -- for the rest of the game! -- with a single wish. After successive wishes, and multiplied wishes from the two tree upgrades, got that up eventually to 89M toys per delivery, which, with sped-up time, were arriving about once every three real-time minutes. At that point it stopped giving me delivery wishes. After that you'll have to console yourself with toy-rate and wrapping-rate wishes.
posted by JHarris at 2:47 PM on December 12, 2013


It's going to depend on the multipliers you get on wrapping speed and on amount delivered, from the Tree wishes. I concentrated on trying to increase deliveries rather than wrapping speed, so I needed more elves to handle the load.
posted by pbrim at 2:49 PM on December 12, 2013


those of you who've won, how many elves did you have? because i think maybe i'm over-invested in elves and should just let it run its course now...

I had 19 floors (once you get a floor, there is no real reason not to get the elves, they're only 100 presents each). Elves are still useful later because they're flexible, whereas delivery *just* produce toys, and machines *just* wrap them, whereas you elf pool can be moved between them and reduce bottlenecks.
posted by JHarris at 2:49 PM on December 12, 2013


Has anyone noticed what triggers the mirror option being available? I am replaying, and I have maxed out everything possible, but it is not even showing me that option. The only think I still have to increase is the number of floors -- I only have 13. Does that affect it?
posted by pbrim at 3:23 PM on December 12, 2013


Ah, it looks like you need to have at least 14 or 15 floors to get the mirror option. I'm not sure because I accidentally double clicked the button.
posted by pbrim at 3:28 PM on December 12, 2013


It looks like you have to have at least 140 elves to see the first mirror. The source code sez:
		vis:function() {return (upgrades.elf.num >= 140)},
posted by jepler at 3:43 PM on December 12, 2013


yay! i saved christmas!
posted by Jacqueline at 3:45 PM on December 12, 2013


In case anybody would like to experience the last few minutes of the game but doesn't have the wherewithal to go through it, you can import this code in:

cc1,34,292,40,4,61,5,39,57,40,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,180,180,180,1,1,1,1,1,1,17,17,-1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,5,5,5,5,5,5,1,1,1,40,40,40,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,272,860349788,10,237,4279,1845617315,1698000000,6870065234,20,40,160107,508562361,2174549338,6341965760,6,0,0,180,8,57,2500,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,y,4,397,73,y,3,0,0,4,0,20,5,end
posted by jbickers at 4:57 PM on December 12, 2013


On the mirror: note, it costs 500M presents to buy, which most people won't be able to afford by the time they reach 14 floors.
posted by JHarris at 4:59 PM on December 12, 2013


Somehow santa hat gets you a santa decoration, but santa hats gets you a different decoration.

Also, how does C4 not count? Haven't they seen Die Hard?
posted by ckape at 8:49 PM on December 12, 2013


I think some of the upper tier unlocks you get from building extra floors assume you are doing the math and figuring out when it is a good use of your presents to build those extra floors instead of saving up for more expensive upgrades. Once you have a lot of wrapping machines and deliveries coming in, it makes more sense to save up to improve your Christmas wishes instead of spending however much to unlock another floor and ten measly extra elves.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 4:51 AM on December 13, 2013 [1 favorite]


I have the mirror, but haven't figured out how to get different wishes if I don't like the ones I have. I have only seen two delivery increases, which are great, but I want more!
posted by corb at 7:13 AM on December 13, 2013


Sometimes it gives you an option to ask for different wishes, sometimes it doesn't. I think it's just luck of the draw.
posted by muddgirl at 7:17 AM on December 13, 2013


Now that I've saved Christmas, I'd really like to release my elves from servitude and let them maybe hang out with the reindeer in the stable, but it seems they will be either Making Toys or Wrapping Presents for eternity.
posted by achrise at 12:18 PM on December 13, 2013


Yeah, saving Christmas is done, but it ain't what it's cracked up to be.
posted by corb at 12:21 PM on December 13, 2013


Okay, totally hooked on this now, but I'm still hoping orteil will make a Christmas update for Cookie Clicker.
posted by Margalo Epps at 1:01 PM on December 13, 2013


I have the mirror, but haven't figured out how to get different wishes if I don't like the ones I have.

It always offers two choices -- sometimes one of the choices is "another wish", which gives you two new wishes. Other times there is one packaging wish and one toy making wish instead as the two wishes.
posted by Margalo Epps at 5:52 PM on December 13, 2013


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