Portal Profit

[DarkQueenPersephone]

I've just barely started on the Dwarf chapter. I don't understand how I'm supposed to be able to generate enough granite/copper to be able to do the research to continue on in the game.Unless I either remove some cultural buildings or something to build more mines, or waste an expansion or two on same. I've already wasted diamonds on finishing a few of the research mods because otherwise I'm dead in the water. So I guess my question has multiple tiers 1. Is the Spire of Eternity the only way to earn Portal Profit Instants so that I can increase my granite/copper and 2. If that IS the only way to get portal profits, what might someone recommend so that I can up my production and get through the chapter faster? Also, bonus, is there anything I should bear in mind that will keep me from running into issues like this in subsequent guest race chapters?

 

[Deleted User - 3932582]

In addition to the Spire, you can get portal profits from events. Directly as daily prizes and chest rewards, as well as indirectly via PP producing buildings, e.g. Trading Outposts. Some evolving buildings produce PPs at high levels (e.g. Fire Phoenix, Polar Bear).

But why do you feel that you need PPs in Dwarves? Build enough mines/foundries (10+/5+, ideally 15+ or even 20+ mines), don't upgrade them to the max level (not a good value), and you won't need any PPs to fly through this chapter. Subsequent chapters will require a lot more space/time for guest race production.

 

[Ashrem]

I've just barely started on the Dwarf chapter. I don't understand how I'm supposed to be able to generate enough granite/copper to be able to do the research to continue on in the game.

If you search back through the forums, there are a number of strategy guides by different people. The elvengems site also has nice guides that can help. Dwarves strategy on Elvengames

The game has six city expansion techs in Dwarves specifically because as the first guest race, the space requirement comes as a surprise. Going forward, you'll find it's best if you can keep at least six-ten expansions free for guest races and events at all times. In the long run, it will be much less frustrating.

 

[DarkQueenPersephone]

Thanks for the replys. It took me so long to get to the Dwarf chapter that the PP's I had won for previous were of no use to me for freaking ever, and because I didn't realize I'd have need of them in the future, they were some of the first things to get disenchanted for spell-fragments for other event requirements. Of course I have been unable to win any since. Also I have yet to win a PP from a daily prize or chest reward since I started playing Elvenar. I also have no Trading Outposts unlocked that produce PP, nor do I ever seem to win enough evolutions for the evolving buildings to get to PP producing level. I need the PP's because I don't have enough room for that many mines without some serious overhauling and re-arranging of my city. I keep running out of granite for each >one thing that I research. Anyway the conclusion I'm drawing is that I am just too casual and not efficient enough of a player. So I guess I'll just keep muddling through. Thanks for posting the link to the Dwarf Strategy Guide. I've already done a LOT wrong, but maybe I can salvage it. I had been looking for something like that, but there was just so much to slog through I figured it would be easier to just post my own thread.

 

[Ashrem]

If you mean the daily chests for helping neighbours, they don't come in those. The do come up in the chests during events, but only specific chests, and those aren't usually the best chests for getting the grand prize. If you regularly check the crafting tab in your Magic academy, portal profits do show up there. Also, if you have any Trading Stations in your Summoning tab of inventory they produce a portal profit every two days for fifty days (they look like a bee beside a little tower

 

[Deleted User - 3932582]

without some serious overhauling and re-arranging of my city.

Well, there is your answer right there You may just get used to it - starting from Dwarves, that's pretty much that this game is all about. Guest race settlements will grow in size, as well as everything else, so you would want to keep reshuffling and optimizing. Otherwise you will have similar experience, and usually there are not enough PPs to avoid that on a consistent basis.

 

[DeletedUser22511]

my suggestion is if you don't have enough space to build enough mines and copper factory, simply have a patience and wait until you have enough to get through research.
Meanwhile, you can build goods, invest KP in AWs of your choice, build armies, participate in tourney.
I just got to fairy. I have enough PP to get through my dwarves chapter but i didn't bother using them because i want to save them for future guest chapters.

 

[michmarc]

The reality is that before you get to Dwarves, your progress is the game is almost entirely limited by how fast you can acquire KP to unlock research. Starting with Dwarves (and continuing for every chapter after that), your rate of progress is based on how fast you can produce guest race goods and that rate will be much slower than the rate you get KP for research.

As the WhiteCitadel says, the guest race chapters are where good Ancient Wonders start appearing (or are worthwhile to have) so not being able to spend KP on research means that you'll have additional KP to spend on Wonders.

Note that upgrading the guest buildings doesn't always make sense. When I did the math, it made sense to upgrade the Mines to L4, but the Copper buildings I only upgraded to L2 because the cost of upgrading them further took more resources than the increased production speed would give -- upgrading them to L3/L4 would make the chapter last longer, not speed things up.

[The even numbered race (Dwarves, Orcs, etc) tend to be very 'slow' chapters while the odd numbered races (Faeries, Woodelves, etc) seem to go much faster. At least that's been my experience so far [I'm near the end of Woodelves now.]]

I've been using PP's to get the goods to upgrade the portal "immediately" since it greatly jumpstarts the production of everything.

 

[DeletedUser24006]

I've just barely started on the Dwarf chapter. I don't understand how I'm supposed to be able to generate enough granite/copper to be able to do the research to continue on in the game.Unless I either remove some cultural buildings or something to build more mines, or waste an expansion or two on same. I've already wasted diamonds on finishing a few of the research mods because otherwise I'm dead in the water. So I guess my question has multiple tiers 1. Is the Spire of Eternity the only way to earn Portal Profit Instants so that I can increase my granite/copper and 2. If that IS the only way to get portal profits, what might someone recommend so that I can up my production and get through the chapter faster? Also, bonus, is there anything I should bear in mind that will keep me from running into issues like this in subsequent guest race chapters?

You need to get a large number of granite, and then a somewhat smaller number of copper. Like 30 granite isn’t unusual.