Quote:
Originally posted by Shelley@Oct 12 2005, 08:44 AM
Keep her stress level DOWN!! Send her off to town every month...
If her stresslevel is REALLY skyhigh, you could send her off to town WITH pocketmoney when you are asked for this, it will lower her stress considerably!!  k:
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Actually, early on, time is money, town trips are not money. Resource management is one of the keys to PM2, and money and stress reduction are resources.
I personally like to use dolls in the early game as stress reduction, along with lots of farm and church work, in lieu of free time. My reasoning's as follows (this is assuming you're trying for a high-ranking position such as Hero, Princess of Darkness or Bondage Queen, or another path that requires resource management):
1. The first year, hoarding money is necessary, though using it is not so important. You need to be ready to get her an education so by 12 at the oldest (usually while she's 11) she begins adventuring, which is the only way to go if you want lots and lots of cash (one trip into the desert, fighting skeletons at the Hell Hole, can net up to about 5000 gold). Therefore, a doll's selling price is effectively hoarded cash.
2. You need to farm to build constitution, which is probably the most important attribute in the game (affecting HP, physical resistance to stress, and Dancing), as well as Strength and cash to boot. Church work is also necessary to resist stress. This, of course, takes time.
3. Therefore, it's normally better to spend that week you would have spent in town on farming, and doll yourself up to keep stress down. First October, you can sell some dolls and use the Harvest Festival to rest down that stress.
Some math to back this up.
One tenday ("week" from now on) of farming, assuming no screwups (and if she screws up a farm job, either she's starting weak or you're doing something wrong): 8.5 days times 15g: 127.5g, 25.5 stress gained.
One doll: Selling price 60g-buying price 120g=-60g, -40 stress.
One week free time (no money involved yet): -50 stress.
So a week of farming can effectively pay for two dolls, reducing stress by 64.5, which is more than a week without pocket money.
Free Time Pocket Money: -100g, -50 stress. Compare this to just buying a doll with that money instead: -60g for -40 stress.
"But isn't this just saving a huge stressload for later?" No, it isn't, assuming you develop a bit of sensitivity (and you must develop sensitivity to maximize efficiency later, anyway). Sell all the dolls at once, while carrying a terrible burden of 200 stress or so (as high as you can get without delinquency or sickness), then take a trip to the lake for cooking lessons in the first week. Voila, all the stress is quickly gotten rid of.