Advent calendar and Christmas stories on the farm
The Christmas season in Goodgame Big Farm has no classic advent calendar with little doors - instead, a new chapter of the Christmas storybook unlocks every day and a gift comes with it. Over the years I have been farming, I have followed three different Christmas stories this way - Rudolph the reindeer running away, the change of heart of the miserly farmer Lester Crowley, and the mystery of the sick elves in Santa's workshop. The holidays also include helping your cooperative friends with their chapter and a time-limited hunt for mugs at the winter market.
The Christmas story is mainly about the atmosphere and the gift for every chapter you read, not about demanding mechanics - it is worth it for the characters, the regular rewards, and because it makes you keep an eye on what is going on around the cooperative.
The advent calendar takes the form of a Christmas storybook
Don't go looking for the classic door-a-day calendar in the game - Christmas time here plays out through the Christmas storybook. Chapters unlock one after another and each one comes with a gift, so the principle is much like an advent calendar, only you read a story instead of opening a door.
Over the years I have been playing, I have gone through three different Christmas stories this way, each with its own plot and characters.
- 2015 - Rudolph the reindeer runs away from Santa's workshop
- 2016 - the miserly farmer Lester Crowley is changed by a visit from the three ghosts of Christmas
- 2017 - the mystery of the sick Christmas elves and the building of a toy machine
Each story is told by a different character - Rudolph talks to you, the farmer, as a friend, while Lester's story comes from an outside narrator. One thing they have in common - there is always a gift waiting once you finish a chapter.
In 2015 Rudolph the reindeer ran away from Santa's workshop
In the 2015 story, Rudolph the reindeer admits that delivering presents all over the world has got the better of him, so he simply runs away from Santa's workshop. He hides out on your farm, where he can't praise the animals and the people enough, and every day he brings a gift to thank you for the hospitality.
While Rudolph is gone, Santa shuts himself in the workshop and won't let anyone in, which unsettles the other reindeer too. Only later does it become clear why - he is secretly preparing a roomy new stable with its own fireplace and feeding trough to thank the reindeer for all their help through the year. Meanwhile Rudolph is running out of gifts on the farm and, with Christmas Eve getting closer, he worries how Santa will manage the deliveries without his best lead reindeer.
The 2016 story followed Lester Crowley and the three ghosts of Christmas
The 2016 story is really A Christmas Carol retold farm style. Lester Crowley, a nasty and miserly farmer, falls asleep by the fireplace one evening and is woken by a ghost who tells him that three ghosts of Christmas will visit him before Christmas Day arrives.
The Ghost of Christmas Past shows him the scene where he refused to share his Christmas dinner with his neighbour George, who wanted to split even the little he had with him. The Ghost of Christmas Presents takes him to Benny Buddler's window, where Lester was never invited, and there he sees how the farm twins lost all desire to sing carols after someone slammed a door in their faces - the result of his own heartlessness. Finally the last ghost, with Shelly the turtle in his arms, takes him into the future, where the farm lies derelict and even generous Matilda MacMuffin refuses to give him food from her basket.
Lester wakes up, puts his mistakes right and throws a big Christmas feast for the whole farm - he invites the twins as well and lets them be the first to taste the finest turkey, and even the turtle gets a few leaves to nibble on.
In 2017 the story tackled sick elves and a toy machine
In 2017 the story is told by Rudolph again, this time about a crisis in Santa's workshop. Mrs. Claus puts Santa on a sugar-free diet, there is hardly any snow, and worst of all - all the Christmas elves fall ill at once and not even the elf doctor can work out why.
While Vicky tries to figure out what is wrong with the elves, Rudolph and the twins work out how to get all the ordered toys made without them. The twins come up with ideas for new toys, including a Pony Palace to cheer up Santa's draft horses, Professor James helps with the plans for the toy machine, and Steve Screwdriver, who had already repaired Santa's sleigh in the past, builds it from those plans. You get to help design the machine yourself and Rudolph gives you a gift for it.
Chapters also unlock with help from the cooperative and the winter mug hunt
Teamwork in the cooperative is part of the Christmas season too. As you work through the chapters of the story, the game suggests helping a cooperative friend finish their own chapter quest before you start yours - so it pays to keep an eye on what is happening in the cooperative and not leave your friends waiting.
The second Christmas activity is a winter hidden object game where you look for hidden mugs. It has a time limit - if you don't make it, the game lets you know that you failed to find all the mugs, but you can still enjoy the winter market afterwards.
